A guardians story (title may be changed)
by SilverWolfGirl5
Summary: Into every generation a slayer and her guardian are born. one beast in all the world a guardian with the same strength and the ability to transform into a special werewolf she protects the slayer and helps her hunt and kill the vampires and One girl, in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the strength to slay vampires she is the slayer. follows the tv show. later ocXwillow
1. welcome to the hellmouth

Name: Lela summers

age: 16

hight: 5'4

hair: blond

eyes: blue

family: buffy summers is her sister and Joyce summers is her mother

style: weres casual clothes shirts that are too, big t-shirts, jeans, hoodies

personality: shy, easily pissed off, pissed off by people bullying others and people hurting people she loves, doesn't stand up for herself much, nice, quiet, funny, sweet, caring, has panic attacks sometimes

likes: books, her family, and friends, food, movies, being in her werewolf form when she can

dislikes: bullies, loud places, lots of people, fleas, snakes, heat, being called a beast and dog

love interest: willow

abilities: as strong as buffy stronger in werewolf form a great sense of smell and great hearing in and out of werewolf form

werewolf form: (looks just like a werewolf from Skyrim) black fur, her height is about 5'6

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Welcome to the Hellmouth

(I think disclaimer is the right word either way what is said is ment I don't own buffy the vampire slayer only my oc)

Disclaimer: I do not own buffy the vampire slayer or any of the characters except my oc which is lela

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NO ONES POV

A window in the southern California school in Sunnydale shatters knocked out by a boy's hand he then slides it and goes inside.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" the girl asks as she climbs through after him.

"It's a great idea! Come on." He replies as he leads her through the hall

"You go to school here?" the girl asks

"Used to. On top of the gym, it's so cool you can see the whole town." The boy replied.

"I don't want to go up there." She said looking slightly scared. The boy grinned

"Oh, you can't wait, huh?" he goes to kiss her but she stops him by saying

"We're just going to get in trouble." He simply answers saying

"Count on it." He kisses her, but she turns suddenly, real fear crossing her face.

"What was that?" she asked

"What was what?" the boy answers

"I heard a noise." She replies

"It's nothing" the boy replies

"Maybe it's something…" the girl resorts still worried

"Maybe it's some-thing…" he responds trying to scare her

"That's not funny," she says slightly upset.

He looks around them the halls are dark "hello…?" he says in a joking voice. There was no answer. "There's nobody here." He says

"Are you sure?" she asks looking behind her.

"I'm sure" he responds

"Ok…." The girl says before turning around baring fangs as she buries them into his neck.

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INSIDE BUFFY'S DREAM

A poor man's shoes walked down the alley. Echoing in the emptiness. He's walking tentatively, far away. Suddenly I see his face quickly – he turns just as I see him and the dream changes I can hear children chanting a schoolyard song eerily in the blackness. on top of sinister whispers then the dream changes again it goes to an alleyway there's a man face down he's trying to crawl but he can't he's just clawing his way along the ground in terror then his body is yanked away and again it changes wait that's me I see myself whose that I can't make out who it is.

"I'll take you…like a cancer…I'll get inside you and eat my way out…" it said its voice was impossibly low it was hard to hear what was being said now there're flashes of a pool of blood and a demonic face I hear roars and-

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BUFFYS POV

My eyes snapped open to the blinding morning light I look around trying to get my bearings and quickly shake off the immediacy of that dream.

"Buffy..?" mom said seeing if I was awake

"I'm up mom" I replied

"Don't want to be late on your first day"

I breathe out "no…wouldn't want that" no I would love that

"And don't forget to wake up your sister"

She still isn't awake yet? That will soon change I get out of my bed and look around my room it isn't even decorated yet I have to unpack more. I walk down the hall a little and open the door on the left. I grin she's sound asleep still this will be fun I slowly walk to her bedside and start tickling her sides. Lela wakes up and immediately starts laughing loudly and thrashing around but I keep tickling her she will not escape this.

"Sis! Buffy!" she says laughing "stopppp!" she says

"No way!" I say laughing but mom must have heard us because she yells at us from downstairs

"Girls School!"

I stop tickling my sister grinning as she stops and stays still trying to catch her breath "school is why you woke me?" she said once she caught her breath some I sigh and nod

"School" we both groan and flop back down onto the bed.

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LELAS POV

I look out the window as mom drives to school it was Buffy's turn to ride in the front actually it's my turn but she wanted to do rock paper scissors for it this time and sadly I was rock I don't understand how a rock could lose to paper still oh well. As we reach the school my mood drops from playful to nervous and scared there're so many people there it's going to be just like in la being ignored and made fun of but now since we got kicked out we will have problems with the teachers. Mom parks the car and me and buffy get out. "Now you two have a good time. I know you'll both make friends right away. Think positive and honey…try not to get kicked out." Mom says she doesn't sound worried but I can tell she is

"I promise," buffy says and I nod promising to mom drives away and we both look at the school walking towards it I start looking around some for the welcome to hell sign but sadly I can't find it.

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NO ONES POV

Weaving along the road is a boy on a skateboard he weaves through a thickening mass of students towards the school "coming through…coming through" he says "not certain how to stop.." he passes by buffy and Lela, he's intrigued by the new faces he tries to look at them more and nearly takes a header he saves himself from falling through and comes to a complete stop in front of a girl. He smiles "willow! You're so much the person I wanted to see." Willow smiles sweetly

"Really?"

"Yeah. You know, I kind of had a problem with the math" Xander says willow hides her disappointment

"Which part?" Xander quickly answers

"The math. Can you help me tonight? Please? Be my study buddy?"

"Well, what's in it for me?" willow asks jokingly

"A shiny nickel..." Xander answers

"Okay. Do you have "Theories in Trig?" You should check it out."

Zander looks slightly confused "Check it out?" he asks

"From the library. Where the books live." Willow answers

"Right. I'm there. See, I want to change." They walk into the school's halls and approach another student

"Hey," he says

"Jesse! What's what" Xander says to his friend

"New girls!" Jesse says excitedly

"That's right, I saw them. There pretty much hotties" Xander states

"I heard someone was transferring hear" willow adds

"So. Tell." Xander says wanting to know more about them

"Tell what?" Jesse asks

"What's the sitch? What do you know about her them?" Xander asks

"New girls." Jesse simply states

"Well, you're certainly a font of nothing." He says slightly put down.

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LELAS PROV

I look around the principal's office as the principle looks at our transcript's I look at buffy who's sitting next to me and I can tell she's nervous.

"buffy summers. Sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles." He then looks at me "Lela summers. Sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles. Interesting records. Quite the careers." Mr. Flutie smiles then he tears up our transcripts into four pieces. "Welcome to Sunnydale. A clean slate, Buffy, Lela, that's what you get here. What's past is past." Wow really that's great "were not interested in what it says on a piece of paper even if it says" he looks down then he reacts "- whoa. At Sunnydale, we nurture the whole student. The inner student." He started taking pieces of tape and taping them back together so much for the past is the past and not being interested in the papers "Other schools might looks at the incredible decline in grade point average – we look at the struggling young women with the incredible decline in grade point average. Other schools might look at the reports of gang fights-"buffy interrupts him

"Mr. Flutie-"he interrupted right back

"All the kids here are free to call me Bob-"he says

"Bob" for some reason bob the builder's song is running through my head now thanks a lot sis

"-but they don't." Mr. Flutie says he finishes taping our transcripts back together

"Mr. Flutie. I know our transcripts are a little colorful-"buffy starts

"Hey, we're not caring about that! Do you think "colorful" is the word? Not "dismal"? Just off hand, I'd go with "dismal." He's starting to get a little annoying it's clear you basically take back what you said earlier

"It wasn't that bad." She says

"You two burned down the gym." I wince in my mind yeahh buffy please quit talking

"We did. We really did. But you got to see the big picture. I mean, the gym was full of vamp-"my eyes widen and I quickly kick her leg "uh, asbestos." I breathe out that was a close one.

"Don't worry. Any other school, they might say "watch your step", or, "we'll be watching you" or, "get within a hundred yards of the gym with a book of matches and you'll grow up in juvie hall" but that's just not the way here. We want to service your needs and help you to respect our needs. Both of your needs and if your needs and our needs don't mesh…" Still smiling blandly, he slips the taped up transcripts back in our folders. Why do I feel like that was a silent threat. He then got up and put our transcripts away and handed us both our schedules. "Here are your classes there're directions written on them now both of you be in your classes every day no skipping and we will all be just fine." I read over mine while buffy nodded

"Thank you for the directions," I said sincerely he nodded and smiled

"Your welcome now both of you get to class" I got up and waited for buffy as she rose reading hers and followed me as I walked out. She's looking a bit depressed it must be because of what he said.

"hey sis do you have your you know" I say trying to make sure she's ready if anything happens she starts rummaging through her bag not really sure before she knows it though a boy bumps into her and everything falls out of her bag she starts scooping it up and I help her geez that guy could of at least said sorry.

"Can I have you? Dyeh-can I help you?" I look up and there was a guy kneeling down trying to help looks like he's flirting with buffy some I quickly look back down and keep picking things up.

"Oh, thanks..." buffy says. He started picking things up and handing them to her

"I don't know you, do I?" he asks

"I'm new. I'm buffy" she replied

"Xander. Is me. Hi." Xander so that's his name oh god I can feel him looking at me "and what's your name" I look up slightly yup he's looking at me oh god no I nervously pick up more of Buffy's stuff and I put them in her bag

"It's Lela," I say timidly

"Thanks, and don't mind my sister she's just shy" very sis very

"Maybe I'll see you two around. Maybe at school, since we both…go there…" I try to hold in a giggle nice one Xander

"Great. Nice to meet you." Buffy says quickly as he gives her the rest of her books which she stuff into her bag and hurries away I quickly follow her and I hear him talking to himself

"We both go to school…very suave. Very not pathetic." He's being a little too heard on himself "oh, hey, you forgot your….stake.." shit shit shit buffy couldn't hear him oh fuck this isn't good do I go back do I even look back. I'm so nervous that my body's making me move forward when I know I should go back.

"See ya sis" I quickly shake my head and look up

"What?" I ask

"This is your class isn't it?" I look up at the room number oh

"Yes, sorry see ya" I quickly say and walk in. the rooms already full crap I quickly grab the closest empty seat and sit getting my notebook out and writing down what I see

"Ok class turn to page 109 and tell me what the first three plays shake sphere wrote are." Wait! I look around book?! Page?! I wasn't told about a book "Miss Lela!" when I hear my name I look up being broken from my small panic

"Huh?"

"I asked you what was shake spheres third poem," she says obviously annoyed

"I-I uh I-I don't know I don't have… A... book" I look down slightly and I hear her sigh

"You can find your book at the library next time try to come prepared" I can hear some students snickering I look down, even more, getting upset. I hope Buffys having a better time than I am.

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BUFFYS POV

"It's estimated that about 25 million people died in that one four year span. But the fun part of the Black Plague is that it originated in Europe how?" no one answered her and I had no idea "As an early form of germ warfare. The plague was first found in Asia, and a Kipchak army actually catapulted plague-infested corpses into a Genoese trading post. Ingenious. If you look at the map on page 63 you can trace the spread of the disease…" I look around and see everyone else open their books. Why wasn't I told about a book suddenly the girl next to me leans over. She is pretty, self-assured. Killer outfit.

"Here." She moves her book over so I can read off it as well.

"Thanks," I say

"And this popular plague led to what social changes?" suddenly the bell rings and we all pack up when the girl says something

"Hi, I'm Cordelia." Nice name

"I'm Buffy," I answer

"If you're looking for a textbook of your very own, there's probably a few in the Library." She says as we start to walk out

"Oh, great. Thanks. Where would that be?" I ask confused

"I'll show you." I follow her as we walk

"You transferred from Hemery, right? In L.A.?" wow word must really get around

"Yeah."

"Oh! I would kill to live in L.A. Being that close to that many shoes… Why'd you come here?"

"Because my Mom moved, is the reason. I mean we all moved. But my Mom wanted to." She doesn't know why that's good

"Well, you'll be okay here. If you hang with me and mine you'll be accepted in no time. Of course, we do have to test your coolness factor. You're from L.A., so you can skip the written, but, let's see… Vamp nail polish."

"Over?" I answered tentatively

"SO over. James Spader."

"He needs to call me."

"Trendy but tasty. John Tesh."

"The Devil?"

"Well, that was pretty much a gimme, but you passed."

"Oh, good." I think good anyway we suddenly stop at a water fountain a girl is already using

"Willow! Nice dress" Cordelia says to the girl who's apparently named willow she smiled "Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears." I could tell that hurt her feelings but I stay quiet why is Cordelia being mean.

"Well, my Mom picked it out." She says she sounds like she's apologizing

"No wonder you're such a guy-magnet. Are you done?"

"Oh." She vacates the fountain timidly and passes my sister she looks at her for a second then walks away Lela then walks towards me and Cordelia who's looking at me.

"What gave you the right to be mean to her she hasn't done anything to you," Lela says obviously pissed.

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LELAS POV

Finally class is over now I just have to find the library and catch up with buffy I walk around a corner and come to the door I laugh some found her wait who's those girls with her I can hear the brunette talking to the red head "Willow! Nice dress Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears." Wait is the brunette bullying her

"Well, my Mom picked it out." Yup just by the tone in her voice how dare she

"No wonder you're such a guy-magnet. Are you done?"

"Oh." She quickly leaves the fountain and walks near me looking at me for a quick second before leaving What gives that brunette the right to do that to that girl I think willow. I walk over to her and buffy "what gives you the right to be mean to that girl she's done nothing to you."

"And what gives you the right to speak to me she was a loser which clearly you are to" I look at buffy but she says nothing I look down hurt and walk away looking for the library again. How could she not stand up for me and that girl…I look up and see the plate on a door that says library and walk in. I look around it looks like no ones here. I sniff the air. No someone is. I sniff again to try and pinpoint where they are then look behind me as I catch a second sent "buffy?"

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BUFFYS POV

I watched Lela leave she looked so upset…I should have said something "You wanna fit in here, the first rule is "know your losers". Once you can identify them all by sight, they're a lot easier to avoid like the two we just saw" I'm starting to get pissed my sister is not a loser after Cordelia finishes her drink we continue to walk to the library " if you're not too swamped with catching up you should come out to the Bronze tonight."

"The who?"

"The Bronze. It's the only club worth going to around here. They let anybody in but it's still the scene. It's in the bad part of town."

"Where's that?"

"About half a block from the good part of town. We don't have a whole lot of town. You should show." We finally arrive at the library

"Well, I'll try, thanks."

"Good. I'll see you at gym and you can tell me absolutely everything there is to know about yourself." She leaves and I shake my head

"That sounds like fun…" I enter and look around it looks nice books books more books it's so empty

"Buffy?" that sounds like Lela I look around and sure enough there she is…I really should apologize.

"Hey, Lela I'm sorry about what happened back there." She nods then looks at a newspaper she so does not forgive me I walk over and look at it with her. There's an article on the first page circled in red. It says local boys still missing, with a blurry picture of three brothers. I hope there just runaways and not…

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LELAS POV

I wonder if Buffy's thinking the same thing I am about these boys…I catch the scent I smelt the first time before I caught Buffy's he's really close. Just as I say that I see a hand going to touch Buffy's shoulder as it does she gets startled and spins around ready to fight. "Can I help you?" the man asked he seems British and middle-aged he's also the one I smelt.

"I was looking for some, well, books. I'm new." Buffy says so that's why she's here same reason as me

"I am as well," I say to him hoping he can get us our books.

"Miss Summers."

"Good call. I guess were the only new kids." Seems so sis

"I'm Mr. Giles, the librarian."

"Great. So you have, uh,-"

"I know what you're after." He walks behind the checkout desk and into the door that's behind it I think it's his office he comes back out and puts a large book on the counter sliding it towards us it's a large leather bound book with a single word set in guild in the cover of it. "Vampyr," I said it out loud and concern floods Buffy's face, along with understanding I look at it worried but also curious. Buffy steps back from the desk, eyes on the librarian.

"That's not what I'm looking for."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm way sure."

"But can I look at it?" I ask I really want to read this book I love books like this Giles just looks at me then at buffy I think he's ignoring me

"My mistake." He puts the book up and I pout. I really wanted to read that. "So, what is it you said –"he starts but she's already gone then he looks back at me

"I'm not sure what kind of book she needed but I need a language book still if you don't mind" Giles nods and goes to look for it

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IN THE WOMEN'S LOCKER ROOM

NO ONES POV

Two GIRLS approach their lockers, talking. They begin undressing taking off their shoes and coats. Girl one says. "The new kids? They seem kind of weird to me. And what kind of names are Buffy? And Lela?"

GIRL two says "Hey, Aphrodesia."

"Hey," Amphrodesia replies

"Well, the chatter in the caf is that they got kicked out and that's why their mom had to get a new job."

"Neg," Aphrodesia says

"Pos. they were starting fights." Aphrodesia opens her locker

"Negly!" girl3 opens hers as well

"Well, I heard it from Blue, and she saw the transcripts –"Something flies out of the locker at her! She screams as the dead body of the boy from the opening collapses on her, eyes wide. She pushes the body away from her and it lands on the floor sprawled out the girl steps back, screaming louder than the others.

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LELAS POV

"Buffy?" I sniff around then catch her scent she smells really close. I look around closely and spot her I start running to try and catch up with her "hey sis wait up!" buffy stops and turns around and smiles at me as I catch kinda looks like she's going to see that girl.

"Hey sis"

"Hi, sis gonna go see that girl?" I point towards willow

"Ya"

"Can I come with?" she nods

"Sure" me and buffy start walking over to the fountain where the girl if I remember right willow seems to be taking out her lunch it smells good. Really good. I then hear my stomach growl damn stomach shut up "Uh, hi. Willow, right?" buffy asks as we stop in front of her. Willow looks up and looks worried

"Why? I mean Hi. Did you want me to move?"

"Why don't we start with "hi, I'm Buffy." buffy sits by her and I smile softly at willow

"And I'm Lela" I then sit on the ground and giggle some "buffys my sister" willow does an oh face then looks at buffy as she starts to speak

"And then let's segue directly into me asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve you hanging out with me for a while."

"But aren't you… hanging with Cordelia?" my face scrunches up slightly into a scowl when I hear her name but I take a breath and try to stay happy

"I can't do both?"

"Not legally," Willow says and she seems serious about it but I don't doubt it

"Look, I really want to get by here. New school… Cordelia's been really nice – to me, anyway–" buffy then looks at me then willow apologetically and continues "but I have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if I wanted to get caught up." Willow looks kind of excited and happy over that

"Oh, I could totally help you out! If you have sixth period free we could meet in the library –"buffy quickly cuts her off

"–or not. Or, you know, we could meet somewhere quieter. Louder. That place kind of gives me the wiggins."

"It has that effect on most kids. I love it, though. It's a great collection, and the new librarian's really cool. "I start to smile and join in

"It really is there're some good books there to" willow smiles down at me and I can't help but smile a little bigger

"He's new?" buffy asks willow then looks back up at buffy

"Yeah, he just started. He was a curator of some British Museum. Or the British museum, I'm not sure. But he knows everything and he brought all these historical volumes and biographies and am I the single dullest person alive?"

"Not at all!"

I giggle and shake my head "Not at all willow" I stop smiling as two boys come over one is that boy that helped me and buffy in the hall the one who…oh god the stake! I try to keep calm but I flinch slightly when he starts to speak oh please don't bring up the stake

"Hey. Are you guys busy? Can we interrupt? We're interrupting."

"Hey," Buffy says. I quickly swallow the lump in my throat

"Hello" the second boy starts to great us

"Hey there."

"Buffy, Lela this is Jesse, and that's Xander," Willow says happily

"Oh, me Buffy and Lela go way back. Old friends, very close. Then there was that period of estrangement, I think we were both changing as people, but here we are and it's like old times, I'm quite moved." Xander says

"Is it me, or are you turning into a babbling idiot?" Jesse says Xander looks a little embarrassed

"It's not you."

"It's nice to meeting you guys… I think." Buffy says I just nod

"Well, we wanted to welcome you, make you feel at home. Unless you have a scary home." Jesse says

"And to return this." Xander pulls out the stake oh shit "The only thing I can figure is that you're building a really little fence." He says before handing it to buffy

"Oh. No. That was for self-defense. Everyone has them in L.A. Pepper spray is so passé." Good save…I think...

"So. What do you like, what do you do for fun, and what do you look for in a man… Let's hear it."

"If you have any dark, painful secrets that we could publish…" Jesse says and I look up at him with a look that would shout what the fuck

"Dark secrets" I shake my head "no way"

"Gee, everybody wants to know about me. How keen."

"Well, your sister too. not a lot happens in a one-Starbucks town like Sunnydale. You're both big news."

"I'm not. Really."

"Neither am I," I say right after buffy I open my mouth to try and say something else but I catch the scent of some very strong and I'm guessing some very expensive perfume that I've smelt before on-

"Are these people bothering you?" Cordelia's voice breaks my thoughts as I look over at her trying to keep calm. She's standing behind Jesse and looks slightly annoyed or disappointed in buffy I think because she's with me and everyone

"Oh! No." buffy says quickly

"She's not hanging out with us." Willow covers for her I look over at Jesse who looks love struck

"Hey, Cordelia." He says

"Oh, please." Cordelia looks over at buffy "I don't want to interrupt your downward mobility." I couldn't hold back the glare that I shoot at Cordelia she seems to have noticed but ignored "I just thought I'd tell you that you won't be meeting Coach Foster, the woman with chest hair because gym has been canceled due to the extreme dead guy in the locker."

"What?" buffy asks a little worried

"What are you talking about?" willow asks

"Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker," Cordelia answers

"Dead." Yes buffy I try not to shake my head

"Way dead," Cordelia says

"So not just a little dead then," Xander says

"Don't you have an elsewhere to be?" Cordelia says slightly annoyed and honestly I don't like her but I can't blame her dead is dead and there just asking if the persons dead still geez

"If you need a shoulder to cry on, or just to nibble on –"Jesse says looking at Cordelia as buffy cuts him off...wait..why nibble?

"How did he die?" she asks

"I don't know…" Cordelia states

"Well, were there any marks?" buffy please stop talking

"Morbid much? I didn't ask!" Cordelia says annoyed even more and slightly freaked

"Uh, look, I gotta book. I'll see you guys later." Buffy gets up and starts walking but slowly waiting for me I sigh inwardly

"I have to as well" I get up and walk over to buffy and we both quicken our pace.

"What's there deal?" Cordelia says

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LELAS POV

As we were quickly walking to the gym we saw Mr. Flutie closing the door quietly. He then turned to us and looked a little panicked I think he was trying to be sneaky.

"Oh! Buffy! Lela! Uh, what do you want?" he says

"Um, is there a guy in there that's dead?" buffy says and I shoot her a sideways glance that was well…very...straight forward.

"Where did you hear that? Okay. Yes. But he's not a student! Not currently"

"Do you know how he died?"

"What?"

"I mean – how could this have happened?" that was a terrible save there's no way he would buy that

"Well, that's for the police to determine when they get here. But this structure is safe, we have inspections, and I think there are no grounds for a lawsuit." Or maybe he will

"Was there a lot of blood? Was there any blood?" buffy asks

"I would think you wouldn't want to involve yourself in this kind of thing."

"I don't. Could we just take a peek?" she's making it sound like we were behind it oh god buffy please learn when to stay quiet one day I beg you I sigh quietly and look up

"I'm just really curious Mr. Flutie thanks for trying sis" as I said that Flutie looks at me slightly annoyed and freaked out and buffy looks at me slightly confused but seems to figure out that I'm trying to cover for her

"Unless you two already are involved…" I knew he would say this

"Never mind," Buffy says and I hold up my hands in defense and shake my head as buffy finishes speaking

"Buffy, I understand this is confusing. You're probably feeling a lot right now. You should share those feelings. With someone else." He then looks at me losing his nice demeanor slightly right after getting it back " and you should see the counselor" buffy smiles warily and I look down slightly upset Flutie walks away and after were sure he's gone me and buffy sneak inside the gym. Buffy goes around the side of the gym as I follow close behind to a door she tried to open it but it's locked. I look around and nod to her that the cost is clear and she nods back giving the handle a quick tug splintering the lock and opening the door. I look one last time and give her another nod as we slip inside and she heads straight for the body and I stay back some as the lookout. I glance at buffy She hesitates, then Pulls the blanket from his head and shoulder. I can see what floods onto Buffy's face is not horror, but grim frustration. She stares down at the body, nearly seething.

"Oh, great!" I look down at buffy and immediately understand that it was a vampire and I sigh out loud here we go again.

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LELAS POV

Buffy strides to the library her attitude high as I follow only slightly annoyed with what has happened. "Okay, what's the sitch?" she asks as she sees Giles and walks to him

"Sorry?" he asks confused

"You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?"

"Yes."

"Well, it's the weirdest thing. He's got two little holes in his neck and all his blood's been drained. Isn't that bizarre? Aren't you just going, "Ooooh…." I try to hold back a laugh at the ohhh buffy just did

"I was afraid of this."

"Well, I wasn't! It's my first day. I was afraid that I'd be behind in all the classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I'd have last month's hair. I didn't think there would be vampires on campus. And I don't care."

"Then why are you two here?" he asks slightly annoyed buffy stops for a moment

"To tell you that I don't care. Which I don't, and… have now told you. So bye." I shake my head and look at Giles

"I'm just watching her. Keeping her safe." We both start to leave buffy seeming a little unsatisfied with her exit when Giles says

"Will he rise again?"

"Who?" buffy asks

"The boy. "

"No, he's just dead."

"Can you be sure?"

"To make you a vampire they have to suck your blood and then you have to suck their blood, it's a whole big sucking thing. Mostly they'll just take all your blood and then you just die – why am I still talking to you?" I look at her for a moment and I really want to say 'because you're scared and really do care a little' but I stay out of it

"You have no idea what's going on, do you? Do you think it's a coincidence, you're coming here? That boy was just the beginning."

Buffy turns "Oh, why can't you leave me alone?"

"Because you are the Slayer and your sisters your guardian" we both stop sharing the same scared and upset looks he continues "Into every generation a slayer and her guardian are born. one beast in all the world" I flinch at the word beast and Buffy notices getting more upset " a guardian with the same strength and the ability to transform into a special werewolf she protects the slayer and helps her hunt and kill the vampires and One girl, in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the –"buffy finishes along with him

"-The strength and skill to hunt the vampires –"

Buffy's the only one talking now "To stop the spread of their evil blah blah I've heard it, okay? And so has Lela."

"I don't understand this attitude. You've accepted your duty's, you've slain vampires before –"

"Well, we have both been there and done that. And I am moving on. We both are and don't call her a beast." I stay quiet and look at the ground since the first watcher found us that's all he ever referred me as and I hated it I'm used to becoming a werewolf I even like it but I can't stand being called a beast it makes me feel…evil…unwanted…a monster…

"What do you know about this town?"

"It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus." Giles looks at me wanting my answer but I just stay quiet and he sighs

"Dig a bit in the history of this place and you'll find there've been a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. I believe this area is a center of mystical energy. Things gravitate toward it that you might not find elsewhere."

"Like Vampires." She tries to move past him and he pulls a book off the shelf, hands it to her. It resembles the vampire book he showed us earlier. He continues to pull more off, piling them up in her arms.

"Like werewolves. Zombies. Succubi, incubi… Everything you ever dreaded under your bed and told yourself couldn't be by the light of day." Those books look cool I wonder if I can convince him to let me read them sometime...

"What, did you send away for the lifetime series?"

"Uh, yes." Wait there's a lifetime series? She was serious?

"Did you get the free phone?"

"The calendar."

I look at them confused which they didn't see or ignored there serious this is like when you order something off of a tv and get a free gift he's a watcher shouldn't he get these for free or- I stop myself shaking my head if I keep thinking about this my head will pop

"Cool." Buffy looks like she remembered something and I look at the books wanting to know more "Okay, first of all, I'm a vampire slayer and she's my guardian and secondly, were retired. Hey, I know! Why don't you kill them?"

"I'm a watcher. I haven't the skill."

"Oh, come on. A stake through the heart, a little sunlight – it's like falling off a log."

I look over and pipe in quietly "fire helps to" buffy nods

"See nothing to it" Giles seems to be getting more annoyed by the second

"The Slayer slays. The guardian guards and slays. The Watcher –"

"Watches?"

"Yes. No!" I try not to giggle at him agreeing but then correcting himself "He – he – trains her, he prepares her – he prepares and trains the guardian as well" I open my mouth to say something but close it as I catch another scent that I didn't notice earlier I look around trying to see where it's coming from

"Prepares us for what? For getting kicked out of school? Losing all our friends? Having to spend all our time fighting for our lives and never getting to tell anyone because it might 'endanger' them? Go ahead. Prepare us." After buffy finishes talking she starts to head out I quickly follow her ignoring the scent I can hear Giles following us though

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NO ONES POV

A shadowy figure moves about back there, emerges into the light. It's Xander, excitement, amusement and disbelief dancing in his face. "Theories in Trig" in his hands. He doesn't say anything for a while then finally says but one word "what?"

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LELAS POV

Giles calls out to us "It's getting worse." Buffy stops and turns. And I do the same. There are people about, so we are all are forced to whisper.

"What's getting worse...?" I ask

"The influx of the undead, the supernatural occurrences. It's been building for years and now…There's a reason why you're both here, and there's a reason why it's now." I can hear the urgency in his voice

"Because now is the time our mom moved here," Buffy says

"Something is coming. Something is going to happen here soon."

"Gee, can you vague that up for me…?" I look at her begging for her to lighten up but she ignores the look I give her and I sigh "As far as I can tell, the signs point to a crucial mystical upheaval very soon – days, possibly less."

"Come on. This is Sunnydale. How bad of an evil can there be here?"

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NO ONES POV

At night in a dark and eerie place. There are candles, broken statuary. A few figures bent in supplication. An ominous CHANTING fills the chamber. There is a single vampire kneeling, well ahead of the rest. He is large, powerful, and appears to be in his twenties but Luke is much older than that. The chanting increases in intensity, Luke is kneeling before a pool of blood. "The sleeper will awaken. " Luke says "The sleeper will awaken. And the world will bleed." He dips his finger in the blood. "Amen."

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LELAS POV

I'm sitting at the edge of Buffy's bed as she is in the 'agony' of outfit choosing, getting ready to go out. She has two outfits, one scanty, and the other somewhat plain. She holds them alternatively in front of her, looking in the mirror "Hi! I'm an enormous slut!" she says then holds up the other "Hi! Would you like a copy of the Watchtower?" she throws them both down "I used to be so good at this…" I watch her confused she wanted my help choosing her outfit with her but I never understood why people were so worried about what they wore

"Sis why do you want to go and why are you always confused about your clothes there just clothes pick one and where it so you're not naked," I say confusion and annoyance clear in my voice

"You never understood fashion sis it's how people see you and you're not going?" I shake my head and rub the side of my right arm getting upset

"You know how I feel about crowds..."

"But it will be fun"

I shake my head again "I can't handle the crowd plus I wouldn't want to ruin your chance to being popular again..." I look down some. Buffy looks over at me about to say something when she sees mom

"Are you going out tonight, honey?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'm going to a club."

"Will there be boys there?" mom asks

"No, Mom; it's a nun club."

"Well, just be careful."

"I will. Maybe you can convince Lela to join me." I don't look up and I feel the side of the bed dip down some as mom rubs my back

"You know how she gets around crowds Buffy don't force her" the air in the room has an uncomfortable feel to it as were all quiet mom decides to break the silence, " I think we can make it work here. I've got my positive energy flowing. I'm gonna get the gallery on its feet – We may already have found a space."

"Great," Buffy says I look up some at mom and smile a little

"Can I visit it sometime mom"

"Of course sweetie" I smile a little more I always loved seeing the gallery's mom worked at "And that school is a very nurturing environment, which is what you both need." Sure a murder scene is very nurturing…

"Mom…" buffy starts

"Oh, not too nurturing. I know. You're both sixteen, I read all about the dangers of over-nurturing. It's hard. New town, and all. For me, too. I'm trying to make it work." Mom then corrects herself "I'm going to make it work."

"We know," I say to her

"You're both good girls. You just fell in with the wrong crowd. But that's all behind us now."

"It is. From now on, I'm only hanging out with the living. I – I mean, the lively… people." Buffy says I'm glad mom didn't catch that

"Okay, have fun."

"Stay safe," we both say as buffy leaves mom then looks at me and smiles

"Hot cocoa and movies?"

I giggle "always"

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BUFFYS POV

I make my way to the Bronzes. The streets are deserted I guess it's just because it's dark out I turn a corner and walk down the street I start to hear footsteps behind me so I slow down and turn slowly. A figure stands in the dark he or she is a little far away I don't know if I should say anything or not it's not moving and I can't seem to see its face but it feels like its staring at me. I turn around and start walking some and I hear it follow me I think for a second and decide to turn this next corner I look around and find a place to hide. As he comes around the corner I drop down on him from my hiding spot locking my legs over his neck as I throw myself back, tipping him over, I start rolling myself and slamming his body into the ground. He gets back on his feet quickly, but I grab him and throw him up against the wall walking closer, but he makes no move to attack and Puts up his hands.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?" he seems faintly amused. I eye him getting a good look at him. He is strikingly handsome, with intelligence and a kind of distance in his eyes. Moves with a fighter's grace. I shake my head and glare at him some

"There's a problem. Why are you following me?"

"I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. I don't bite." I back off some a little confused "Truth is, I thought you'd be taller. Or bigger, muscles and all that. You're pretty spry, though." he looks around. "I take it your dog isn't with you like it's subpost to be"

Dog? "What do you want? And what dog?"

"Same thing you do. And you know what dog."

I'm starting to get annoyed "Okay, what do I want? And no I don't." The amusement leaves his face.

"To kill 'em. To kill 'em all."

I start talking like were on a game show "Sorry! That's incorrect but you do get this lovely watch and a year's worth of Turtle Wax what I want… is to be left alone." I start getting more pissed that dog he was talking about he was talking about my sister! I glare at him "and that dog is my sister call her that again and you'll be back on the ground" he raises his hands in the air defensively

"Alright and you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the mouth of Hell. And it's about to open." He reaches into his coat for something then throws it at me I catch it and look at it. A jewelry box? "Don't turn your back on this. You've got to be ready."

I look back up at him "For what?"

"The Harvest." He starts to leave

"Who are you?"

"Let's just say I'm a friend." That's not what I wanted to know I sigh then look at him annoyed

"Well, maybe I don't want a friend."

"I didn't say I was yours…" he leaves and I look back at the box after he's out of my site. I open the box and inside is a cross it looks antique it has a gold chain too.

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BUFFYS POV

I finally make it to the bronze and head inside there's a decent crowd they mill aimlessly around the joint, high school students and older. The place has an appealingly dive-y earthiness; no waiting in line for the bouncer to decide whether you're cool or not. Those that are in line wait only to pay the four bucks to get their hands stamped if they're old enough to drink. It's really dark, crowded and noisy too. A fairly good band playing and there's a Coffee bar in the back, and a balcony above with tables for two. I make my way through, still looking about there has to be someone I recognize hear I look around some more and see a good looking guy wave at me smiling I smile slightly back waving back as well I look to the side of me and see a guy walking towards him shit! He must have been waving to him I quickly try to hide my mistake by pretending to fix my hair I look around a little more embarrassed and see willow. Finally, someone, I know I walk over towards her she turns around after finishing getting her soda "hi!" I say happily

"Oh, hi! Hi." Willow responds a little sheepish

"Are you here with someone?"

"No, I'm just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up… are you here with someone?"

"No I tried to get my sister to come but she can't handle crowds and places like this she will end up having a panic attack and" I pause and look at my hands... "she- she uh thought she would ruin a chance for me to be popular like at our old school" I start getting upset with myself "she never would get near me there because she knew people would make fun of her and make things hard on me..."

"Oh..." willow looks at me a little sad crap I should change the subject

"Oh, a-anyway are you guys going out? You and Xander?"

"No. We're just friends. We used to go out, but we broke up."

"How come?"

"He stole my Barbie." huh I must have looked confused because she started talking again "We were five."

"Oh."

"I don't actually date a whole lot… lately."

"Why not?"

"Well, when I'm with a boy I like, it's hard for me to say anything cool, or witty, or at all… I can usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away."

I couldn't help but laugh "It's not that bad."

"It is. I think boys are more interested in a girl who can talk."

"You really haven't been dating lately."

"It's probably easy for you."

I sigh upset "Oh, yeah. Real easy."

"I mean, you don't seem too shy."

Well, my philosophy is – do you wanna hear my philosophy?"

"I do."

"Life is short."

"Life is short."

"Not original, I'll grant you. But it's true. Why waste time being all shy? Why worry about some guy and if he's gonna laugh at you? You know? Seize the moment. Cause tomorrow you might be dead."

"Oh… That's nice…" I look up about to say something else but something catches my eye well someone is that…

"Uh, I'll be back in a minute."

"That's okay. You don't have to come back."

I smile at her "I'll be back in a minute."

I walk off towards the balcony I make my way to the railing overlooking the stage and lean on it next to Giles I sigh of course.

"So, you like to party with the students? Isn't that kind of skanky?"

Giles withers "Right. This is me having fun." He then looks around "where is your guardian she's subpost to be with you at all times"

"She's my sister and she can't handle crowds" I look at him annoyed and he nods clearly annoyed too as he looks back around the stage

"Watching clown-hair prance about is hardly my idea of a party. I'd much prefer to be home with a cup of Bovril and a good book." He sighs "This is a perfect breeding ground for Vampire activity. Dark, crowded… Besides, I knew you two were likely to show up. Well, I was right about you anyways. And I have to make you understand –"

"That the Harvest is coming, I know, your friend told me." He frowns at this

"What did you say?"

"The… Harvest. That means something to you? Cause I'm drawing a blank."

I'm not sure… Who told you this?"

"This guy. Dark, gorgeous in an annoying sort of way. I figured you were buds."

"No… The Harvest… Did he say anything else?"

Something about the mouth of Hell. I really didn't like him."

We both look down at the floor for a moment, at all the dancing people.

"Look at them. Throwing themselves about... Completely unaware of the danger that surrounds them."

Lucky them…"

"Or perhaps you're right. Perhaps there is no trouble coming. The signs could be wrong. It's not as though you're having the nightmares…" nightmares...I don't say anything and just look back down

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NO ONES POV

Cordelia is watching with her friends "My mom doesn't even get out of bed anymore. The doctor says it's Epstein Barr, I'm like, "please, it's chronic hepatitis or at least Chronic Fatigue Syndrome." I mean nobody cool has Epstein Barr anymore." Jesse approaches her, smiling.

"Cordelia!"

"Oh, yay, it's my stalker."

"Hey, you look great."

"Well, I'm glad we had this chat –"

"Listen, I, um, do you wanna dance?"

"With you?"

'Well, uh, yeah."

"Well, uh, no."

She takes off, posse in tow. Jesse just soaks up the pain.

"Fine. Plenty of other fish in the sea. Oh yeah. I'm on the prowl. Witness me prowling."

He looks around at the crowd, officially beginning his prowl.

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BUFFYS POV

"I didn't say I'd never slay another vampire. I'm just not gonna get way extracurricular with it. If I run into one, sure…"

"But will you be ready? There's so much you don't know, about them and about your own powers. A vampire appears to be a normal person until the feed is upon them. Only then do they reveal their true demonic visage."

"You're like a textbook with arms! I know this!" he's starting to piss me off some I came here to have fun not to argue and get a lesson on slaying

"The point is, a Slayer should be able to see them anyway. Without looking, without thinking. And her guardian is subpost to help her and see them easily Can you tell me if there's a vampire in this building?"

"Maybe?"

"You should know! Even through this mass and this din you should be able to sense them. Try. Reach out with your mind."

I look down at the mass of kids on the floor. And Furrow my brow.

"You have to hone your senses, focus until the energy washes over you, till you can feel every

Particle of –"

"There's one," I say interrupting him

"What? Where?"

I pointed to where it was "Down there. Talking to that girl."

"But you don't know –"

"Oh, please. Look at his jacket. He's got the sleeves rolled up. And the shirt… Deal with that outfit for a moment."

"It's dated?"

"It's carbon dated! Trust me: only someone who's been living underground for ten years would think that was the look."

"But… you didn't hone…"

I roll my eyes then look back down eyes widening some "Oh, no…"

"Isn't that –"

"Willow."

"What is she doing?"

"Seizing the moment."

I start heading down the stairs this is my fault they headed outside I fight past the crowd and look around…they must have gone through the backstage door. I quickly head towards it but the closer I get the more crowded it gets I guess I see why Lela doesn't like crowds I push past and finally push open the door. It's dark here, and somewhat of a labyrinthine. I move slowly and cautiously. There is no one about. I look around and see an old chair I break one of the legs off to make a makeshift stake. I head for the exit door and stick my head out there's no one in the ally either. I slowly head back to the main door annoyed I turn the corner and I feel someone on me it must be him! I quickly grab him and throw him up against a wall holding him two feet off the ground…wait this isn't. Oh shit, "Cordelia!"

"Excuse me… could you be any weirder? Is there more weirdness that you could have?"

I let her down lowering the stake.

"God, what is your childhood trauma?"

I try to act happy ignoring what just happened "Did you guys see Willow? Did she come by here?"

Why? Did you need to attack her with a stick too?"

I give up I head back the way I came

Cordy and the others are still agape. After a moment, Cordy regains her composure.

"Excuse me. I have to call everyone that I've ever met right now."

I come back towards the door but Giles is already out looking around.

"Is he dead? That was fast. Well done. I'd best go to the library. This "Harvest" is –"

"I didn't find them."

"The vampire's not dead?"

"No, but my social life is on the critical list," I say with a sigh

"What do we do?"

"You go on. I'll take care of it."

"I should come with you, no?"

I start heading out "Don't worry. One vampire I can handle."

"You at least have to get your guardian to go with you"

"Ok first off she's my sister and her names Lela use it second off I'll be fine" I head out not noticing Jesse is chatting up a girl

Giles shakes his head sighing and quickly heads to the school.

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LELAS POV

I sighed happily sipping my cocoa this is great a nice relaxing time were watching an old spook movie that neither of us has seen before I snuggled into mom relaxing even more when the phone rings I groan annoyed.

"I'll get it" I get up and walk to the phone picking it up "hello?"

"Hello, Lela?"

I raise my eyebrow "Giles? How do you know my number?"

"It's in the school records" I sigh this is one thing I hate that about schools they always know your shit "what do you need?"

"Your sisters going after a vampire I want you to find her use your sense of smell and track her down"

"Ok bye" I hang up and slip my shoes on that were near the door

"Who was it dear?"

I looked at my mom "It was Buffy she wants me to come and see someone she was really begging me to go so I got to go tell me how it ends"

"Ok be careful out there" she replies

"I will" I then walk out the door and take a deep slow breath catching her sent Gotcha I start following her sent as fast as I can.

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NO ONES POV

"What did you say your name was?" Jesse asks a girl he's been talking to (the vampire from the opening)

"Darla." She replies

"Darla. I haven't seen you before. Are you from around here?"

"No, but I've got family here."

"Have I met them?"

"You probably will."

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NO ONES POV

Back underground the chanting continues. Luke suddenly looks up. He starts moving slowly back, eyes wide with religious fervor. All the figures in the church start moving back, almost as one. As Luke continues to prey before it. A head suddenly shoots up from in the blood. Luke stops and looks at it. He moves back, away from the pool. Something rises. From the liquid...the master the most powerful of vampires

"Master…" Luke says The Master steps forward, his face still in relative darkness. Luke steps back reverentially. The Master looks about him for a moment.

"Luke."

"Master…"

"I am weak."

"Come the Harvest, you'll be restored."

The Harvest…"

"We're almost there. Soon you'll be free." The Master takes another step forward, past Luke. He reaches his hand out slowly. As he does, the air in front of him starts to ripple slightly – a kind of mystical wall. He pulls his hand back.

"I must be ready. I need my strength."

"I've sent your servants to bring you some food."

"Good."

Luke starts to head out

"Luke…" the master says

Luke stops "Yes?"

"Bring me something… young."

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NO ONES POV

Willow and the Vampire Boy walk along, alone in the dark. She is clearly nervous, though not for the reason she should be.

"Sure is dark…"

"It's night." He says with an annoyed and bored tone

"That's a dark time. Night. Traditionally."

They walk a bit more. "I still can't believe I've never seen you at school. Do you have Mr. Chomsky for History? "He doesn't answer and she Stops. "The ice cream bar's down this way – it's past Hamilton Street," Willow says getting nerves and worried he takes her hand.

"I know a shortcut." He starts leading her into the dark of wood.

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BUFFYS POV

I come from around the back of the bronze and start looking around

"You're leaving already?" Xander says from behind me I turn around and look at him

"Xander, have you seen Willow?"

"Not tonight."

"I need to find her. She left with a guy."

Xander looks impressed "We are talking about Willow, right? Scoring at the Bronze. Work it, girlfriend."

I start looking around again "Where would they go?"

"Why, you know something about Mr. Goodbar that she doesn't? Oh! Hey. I hope he's not a vampire. Cause then you'd have to slay him." I turned back to him surprised how did he know!

"Was there a school bulletin? Was it in the news? Is there anybody in this town who doesn't know I'm a slayer?"

"I only know that you think you're a slayer and that you think your sisters a guardian wolf thing and I only know that cause I was in the library today."

"Whatever. Just tell me where Willow would go."

"You're serious."

"We don't find her, there's gonna be another dead body in the morning." Xander looks at me trying to still figure out if I'm serious

"Come on." He says as he heads off and I follow him before I start to lead him

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NO ONES POV

Willow is still walking with Vampire Boy in a graveyard she is getting increasingly creeped out.

"Okay, this is nice and… scary… Are you sure this is faster?" He says nothing and she keeps walking beside him, uncertain. He stops at a small mausoleum. The entrance is very dark.

"Hey. You ever been in one of these?" he asks

"No. thank you." He moves in close, holding her intimately.

"Come on. What are you afraid of?" He pushes her into the blackness of the entrance. Willow stumbles in. She looks around scared adjusting to the increased dark. The place is small, with carved stone walls. A large tomb takes up much of the middle, the stone figure of a man lying atop it. Behind her is the doorway she came in, ahead, a much smaller, iron door, locked shut. She spins all the way around to see the boy filling the entrance.

"That wasn't funny." He gave her No response. He steps closer, his face in shadow. She circles away from him, moving closer to the doorway.

"I think I'm gonna go."

"Is that what you think?" All the playfulness has drained out of his voice. She takes a step back, another, turns and moves and runs right into Darla .Willow did something between a scream and a squeak, Willow steps back. Darla looks at her then looks at the vampire that brought willow

"Is this the best you could do?"

"She's fresh."

"Hardly enough to share."

"Why didn't you bring your own?"

"I did." She indicates the doorway behind her, as Jesse stumbles dazed from the darkness.

"Hey, wait up…" Jesse says

"Jesse!" willow goes over to him, relieved. He is clutching his neck. Jesse looks at Darla

"I think you gave me a hickey…" He takes his hand away. There is blood on it, on his neck. Willow looks over at the other two, eyes wide.

Darla looks at the other vampire "I got hungry on the way."

"Jesse, let's get out of here." willow says scared

"You're not going anywhere," Darla states

"Leave us alone." Darla gets right into willows face

"You're not going anywhere until we've fed!" And on the last word she brings her face right up to Willow's and it changes. Willow screams taking a stumbled step back and falls. The boy laughs, circling, he has changed as well.

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BUFFYS POV

Xander and I walk around the cemetery looking to see if the vampire might of brought willow hear I look around everywhere when I hear a scream that sounds like willow I quickly head towards the scream and there's an open crypt I walk inside.

"Well, this is nice." Xander follows me in and everybody stops.

"A little bare, but a dash of paint, a few throw pillows – call it home." Darla looks at her

"Who the hell are you?"

"Wow, you mean there's actually somebody around here who doesn't know already? That's a relief. I'm telling you, having a secret identity in this town is a lot of work." Xander moves between the two vampires who have loosened their grip on willow and Jesse

"Buffy, we bail now, right?" Xander asks

"Not yet." The male vampire says

"Okay, first of all, what's with this outfit? Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge." I then turned to Darla "Now, we can do this the hard way, or… well, actually, there's just the hard way."

"Fine with me."

"You sure? It's not gonna be pretty. We're talking violence, strong language, adult content." As I'm talking I can tell that the boy vampire is trying to rush me from behind I take out the stake from my jacket and stick it out behind me, letting the boy impale himself on it. I don't take my eyes off Darla but I can hear him hit the ground and turn to dust.

"See what happens when you roughhouse?" Xander and Willow are speechless, I can only guess that their staring at the ground where a body used to be. Darla's eyes go wide She moves slowly around, preparing to fight.

"He was young. And stupid."

"Xander, go."

"Don't go far." She lunges at me while I counter with a swift kick in her gut. Xander has already taken everyone out Darla hit the ground with a painful thud. I went over to stand over her. I'm extremely annoyed right now I just wanted away from everything

"You know, I just wanted to start over. Be like everybody else. Have some friends, maybe a dog…

But no. You had to come here. You couldn't go suck on some other town."

"Who are you?"

"Don't you know?" suddenly something grabbed me by my throat and lifted me off of the ground"

"I don't care." He starts walking some then throws me at least fifteen feet I hit the wall face first landing badly oww… he turns on Darla, who is getting up.

"You were supposed to be bringing an offering for the Master. We're almost at Harvest and you dally with this child?"

"We had someone. But she came and… she killed Thomas… Luke, she's strong."

"You go. I'll see if I can handle the little girl."

I lift myself off the floor just as Luke suddenly closes in grabbing me but I'm ready this time I quickly knock his arms away and kick him in the face it sent him flying a bit but he recovered in a second and landed a strong punch into my jaw damn that hurt

"You are strong." He slammed my back to the ground.

"I'm stronger." After he kicked me around a bit I quickly scramble up and circle around the tomb keeping it between him and me

"You're wasting my time."

"Hey, I had other plans, too, okay?" he shoved the top of the tomb hard as it started flying at me I leap over it jump up onto the tomb leap off it flipping and planted both feet firmly on top Luke's chest he falls back and I do to I get up first and pull out my stake and drive it for his chest but he grabs it just before it hits him shit..

"You think you can stop me? Stop us?" He squeezes and the stake splinters in his grip. He punches me knocking me onto my back

"You have no idea what you're dealing with." He stood over me then started saying something

"And like a plague of boils, the race of Man covered the earth. But on the third day of the newest light will come over the Harvest…"

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NO ONES POV

Giles has his ancient texts out and is studying them in growing consternation.

"… When the blood of men will flow as wine… "

In Giles book, there's a Dore-like engraving: a massacre. People writhing, blood everywhere – in the center of them all, a Demon with a three-pointed star on his forehead, feeding off a woman.

"… When the Master will walk among them once more…"

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BUFFYS POV

I start getting up, keeping my eyes on Luke –

"…and Hell itself will come to town". I try to move to the side, to get away but he backhands me with all the force he has. I fly right into the tomb!

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LELAS POV

I start running faster as I start to get a bad feeling I look around and stop running taking a deep breath closing my eyes. I start to grow taller my arms and my legs grow longer to and stronger I curl into myself slightly as my body grows black fur my fingers grow longer and my nails turn into claws I can feel my teeth getting sharper as my mouth turns into a muzzle and my nose changes I can feel my tail finish growing and I swish it around a few times my ears grow pointed and I open my eyes which are now yellow and I howl into the night sky getting onto all fours and shaking my fur. I take another sniff into the air and catch her sent again I start following her sent running on all fours going much faster than I was before I let out small grunts and growls as I run to her I'm on my way buffy.

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BUFFYS POV

I land hard on my back getting the wind knocked out of me I looked beside me and there's the owner of the grave oh god I need to get out but it hurts so much to move I look up but I don't see Luke where is…I sigh Giles was right I should have gotten Lela slowly I lift my head I'm actually scared right now I look around I don't see him. I jump scared when Luke jumps on top of me I try to fight him off but he has me pinned he looks happy

"Amen." He says

My breath hitches in my throat as He bears down.

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. The harvest

The Harvest

Disclaimer: I do not own buffy the vampire slayer or any of the characters except my oc which is lela

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LELAS POV

I followed buffys sent to a tomb I look in and I see her screaming with a vampire about to kill her I quickly run over and rip him off of Buffy. snarling I throw him across the crypt he hits the old wall cracking it slightly I quickly grab Buffy and run out once I think I'm far enough away I gently place Buffy down on the ground. I look back and no ones coming I then hear someone screaming it sounds like willow! I quickly run towards the screams and find her on the ground struggling with a vampire it has Willow pinned and is going in for the neck I quickly pounce on the vampire biting down on its neck ripping its head off and he turns to dust I look over to see willows eyes wide

"W-what is that," she asks pointing at me as I slowly move to her side and kneel down please don't be scared of me willow…

"It's Lela" buffy says softly. Willow slowly puts her hand on my head petting me and I wag my tail willow stops then checks on Xander I and buffy follow her and see that he is unconscious and being dragged away by two other vampires. They must have heard us because they start turning around slowly. They see me and willow but go right back to trying to get Xander out once they turn around buffy is in front of them she punches them both with one punch and they fly back Buffy grabs a branch, snaps it off the tree and comes at them with a makeshift stake and nails one in the chest. The other flees but I'm not letting him I quickly chase after him and jump onto his back lifting up him and myself. I lift him above my head and rip him in half I look up as dust falls down around me like snow. I quickly head back to willow and buffy Xander seems to be coming to.

"Xander, are you okay?" willow asks

"Man... something hit me..." he says rubbing his head some he then looks up at me "Lela?" I nod and sniff around to see if any more vampires are around.

"Where's Jesse?" buffy asks

"I don't know - they surrounded us - he was really weak..." willow says

"That girl grabbed him. Took off." Xander answers

"Which way?" buffy asks

"I don't know."

Buffy looks up at the night sky. I can hear her whisper jesses name my ears flatten sadly and I gently rub her back.

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(it's still lelas pov if I have the spots separated but no pov listed then it's still the same persons pov)

"This world is older than any of you know and contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For untold eons, Demons walked the earth; made it their home... their Hell. In time they lost their purchase on this reality,and the way was made for the mortal animals. For Man. What remains of the Old Ones are vestiges: Certain magicks, certain creatures..." Giles says to willow and Xander I finally find the bandages and hand them to buffy we both walk out of his office

"And vampires..." buffy says wrapping her forearm I put my arm in front of her for a second as Xander rises from his seat obvisally agitated

"Okay, this is where I have a problem, see because we're now talking about vampires. We're having a talk with vampires in it." I move my arm once I notice he isn't going to attack and walk over to willow

"Oooh... I need to sit down." Willow says

"You are sitting down," Buffy states

"Oh. Good for me." I gently pat her shoulder to try and help

"So vampires are demons?" Xander says

"The books tell that the last Demon to leave this reality fed off a human and mixed their blood. He was a human form possessed - infected - by the Demon's soul. He bit another, and another... and so they walk the earth, feeding. Killing some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out, and the Old Ones to return." Giles states

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NO ONES POV

Jesse is being dragged through the tunnel by Luke with Darla, by his side. Jesse is still staggering into consciousness, and the more he awakens, the less he likes it. He looks around in fear at the two inhuman faces, at the end of the tunnel they are dragging him through there seems to be an old cracked pipe, they go through it and the threesome keeps making its way down to a pile of rocks and climbs down to the floor of the wrecked church. Jesse looks about, wonder tingeing the edges of his fear. They stand before the altar, before the pool of blood. From the darkness, something moves. Emerges. The master regards his servants, his total authority obvious to all and He looks at Jesse.

"Is this for me?" he asks

"An offering, Master," Luka says

"He's a good one. His blood is pure." Darla says a little worried

"You've tasted it." The master states clearly not happy. Darla backs up a step, afraid. And the master smiles "I'm your faithful dog. You bring me scraps."

"I didn't mean to –"

"I've waited. For three score years, I have waited. While you come and go I have been stuck here," his voice rises "here, in a house of worship. My ascension is almost at hand. Pray that when it comes... I'm in a better mood."

"Master, forgive me. We had more offerings but there was trouble. two girls."

"There were two girls. One fought well, and she knew of our breed. the other was a werewolf It's possible that they may be..." luke trails off and the master turns to him

"A Slayer? and her guardian?" he says

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LELAS POV

"And that would be a what?" Xander asks

"As long as there have been vampires, there has been the Slayer and her guardian one beast in all the world" I flinch and look to the side taking my hand off of willows shoulder and walk a few feet away from everyone "a guardian with the same strength and the ability to transform into a special werewolf" Xander cuts giles off

"how is she a special werewolf?"

"unlike other werewolves she can shift at will and has full consciousness and control over what she is doing. Her werewolf form has longer claws and is slightly taller than the other biped werewolf we know of she can run faster on all fours and is stronger than the slayer in that form the other typing of werewolf is one that can only run on all fours both change 2 nights before and on the full moon yet Lela has the ability to transform whenever she wishes she also has the ability to smell and hear exactly like when she's in her werewolf form when she's in her human one"

"so she can control everything instead of blacking out?" willow asks

"and could smell us for miles or hear us whispering" Xander adds

"yes and yes" Giles says then continues on what he was saying "any way she protects the slayer and helps her hunt and kill the vampires and One girl in all the world –"

"He loves doing this part and apparently loves calling my sister a beast Giles don't you see how it upsets her?" buffy asks annoyed

Giles speeds up "sorry. All right: They hunt vampires, one Slayer dies, the next is called, same for the guardian Buffy is the Slayer and Lela is the guardian there both sisters which is quite rare for both to be born near each other especially when born to the same family, don't tell anyone. I think that's all the vampire information you need."

"Except for one thing. How do you kill them?" Xander asks

"You don't. me and Lela do." Buffy says

"Well, Jesse –"

"Jesse is lelas and my responsibility. I let him get taken."

"That's not true."

"If you and Lela hadn't shown up, they would have... taken

us too... Does anybody mind if I pass out." Willow asks

" Breathe..." buffy says

"Breathe."

"Breathe." Buffy repeats then looks at Giles "This big guy, Luke, he talked about an offering to the Master. I don't know who or what, but if they weren't just feeding, Jesse may still be alive. I'm gonna find him."

"this is probably the dumb question, but shouldn't we call the police?"

"Do you think they'd believe us?" Giles says looking at willow

"We don't have to say vampires. We could say there was... a bad man."

"They couldn't handle it if they did come. They'd only show up with guns." Buffy says which is true only ways to kill them is stake through the heart fire beheading ripping them up or sunlight

Gils looks back at buffy "You've no idea where they took Jesse?"

"I looked around, but... soon as they got clear of the woods they could have just" she makes a gesture for fly "-whoom."

"They can fly?" Xander asks

"They can drive." I respond

"Oh. "

"I don't remember hearing a car..." willow says

"Well, let's take an enormous intuitive leap and say they went underground." Giles says

"Vampires really jam on sewer systems. You can get anywhere in town without catching any rays. I didn't see any access around there, though." Ich. Sewage nothing but rats vamps and crap

"Well, there's electrical tunnels. They run under the whole town." Xander says

"If we had a diagnostic of the tunnel system, it might indicate a meeting place. I suppose we

could go to the building commission –" buffy cuts giles off

"We so don't have time."

"Uh, guys? There may be another way." Willow says

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NO ONES POV

"A Slayer and guardian.. Have you any proof?" the master asks

"Only that they fought me and yet live." Luke answers

"Very nearly proof enough. I can't remember the last time that happened."

"1843, in Madrid. And the bastard caught me sleeping."

"they mustn't be allowed to interfere with the Harvest."

"I would never let that happen."

"You needn't worry. I believe they'll come to us. We have something that they want. If they are a Slayer, and guardian and this boy lives, they'll try to save him."

Luke goes up to Jesse, smiling. "I thought you nothing more than a meal, boy. Congratulations. You've just been upgraded to "bait"."

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LELAS POV

We all look at the computer screen that has a map of the electrical tunnels it looks really complex

"There it is." Buffy says

"This runs under the graveyard." Willow says

"I don't see any access." Xander states

"So all the city plans are just open to the public?" Giles asks

"Uh, well, in a way. I sort of stumbled onto them when I accidentally... decrypted the city council's security system." Willow answers wow

"You're really smart," I say smiling at her willow smiles back she seems proud of herself

"Someone's been naughty..." Xander says still focused on the screen

"There's nothing here. This is useless!" buffy says annoyed

"I think you should ease up on yourself." Giles says

"You're the one who told me I wasn't prepared enough. Understatement. I thought I was on top of it, and then that Monster Luke came out of nowhere and Lela had to save me—" she stops and pauses

"What?" Xander asks

"He didn't come out of nowhere. He came from behind me. I was facing the entrance. He came from behind me and he didn't follow us out." She looks up at us "The access to the tunnels is in the mausoleum."

"Are you sure?" Giles asks

"The girl must have doubled back with Jesse after we got out. God, I'm so mentally challenged!"

"So, what's the plan? We saddle up, right?" Xander asks

"There's no 'we'. Okay? I'm the Slayer, she's the guardian and you're not."

"I knew you were gonna throw that in my face."

"Xander, this is deeply dangerous."

"I'm inadequate. That's fine. I'm less than a man."

"Buffy, I'm not anxious to go into a dark place full of monsters, but I do want to help. I need to." Willow says

"Then help me. I've been researching this Harvest affair. Seems to be some sort of pre-ordained massacre. Rivers of blood, Hell on earth... Quite charmless. I am fuzzy on the details, however, and it may be that you can wrest some information from that dread machine." Willow looks at him not understanding "That was a bit British, wasn't it?"

"Welcome to the new world." Buffy says I look at willow

"he wants you to go on the Net." I translate for her

"Oh! Yeah. Sure. I can do that." She says

"Then we're out of here. If Jesse's alive, we will bring him back." Buffy says

"Do I have to tell you to be careful?" she looks at giles for a minute then she leaves with me following behind her

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We head towards a gate that stands open. We were about to go through it when Flutie appears right behind us. I hold in a sigh I was afraid this would happen.

"And where do we think we're going?" he asks

"We? I? Me?" buffy says

"We're not leaving school grounds, are we? Because if we were leaving school grounds on our second day at a new school after being kicked out of our old school for delinquent behavior – do you see where I'm going with this?"

I quickly step in knowing that buffy might say something like 'No! I'm just ... admiring the fence. This is

quality fence work.'

"Mr. Giles told us to pick him up a book that he needed since we have a free period"

"Mr. Giles." He says not believing me

"Ask him. If you need to were just doing what he asked" I take out twenty dollars to try and make it more believable "he gave us the money for the book" Mr. flutie closes and locks the gate anyway shit

"Well, maybe that's how they do things in Britain, they've got that royal family and all kinds of problems. But here at Sunnydale nobody leaves campus while school's in session. Are we clear?"

"We're clear." We both say

"That's the Buffy and Lela Summers I want in my school. The sensible girls, with their feet on the ground." He smiles "I'll give him back the twenty" aw shit I better get this back I hand it to him and he puts it in his pocket then leaves

"sorry about the twenty" buffy says

I sigh "it's fine I just hope he actually gives it to giles and that he gives it back"

She nods "ready?"

"yup," we both jump up, over the fence. And land on the other side perfectly we then take off running.

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We reach our destination and it's just as dark in here as it was last night. Buffy makes her way cautiously, looking about her. I sniff around as she tries to open the iron door

"It's locked." After she says that I catch the scent of someone

"buffy" she doesn't answer or turn around I guess she felt its presence

"I don't suppose you've got a key on you?" she asks the person I smelt. A man steps out from the darkness a smile in his eyes.

"They really don't like me dropping in," he says

"Why not?"

"They really don't like me."

"How could that possibly be?" she says sarcastically I look at them both confused why is she talking to him has she meet him before.

"I knew you'd figure out this entryway sooner or later. Actually, I thought it was gonna be a little sooner."

"I'm sorry you had to wait. Look, if you're gonna be popping up with this cryptic wise man act on a regular basis, can you at least tell me your name?" so she knows him but doesn't I guess she already knows what he is then

"I see you have your sister with you," she told him about me?

"Who are you," I ask

"someone who's dropped some hints to help," buffy says so he's on our side then

"Angel." He says

"Angel." Buffy repeated, "It's a pretty name."

"Don't go down there." He says

"Deal with my going."

"You shouldn't be putting yourselves at risk. Tonight is the Harvest. Unless you can prevent it, the Master walks."

"If this Harvest thing is such a suckfest, why don't you stop it?"

"Because I'm afraid." He says unashamed and open it catches buffy a bit off guard she looks at him for a moment before she kicks the door open "They'll be expecting you."

I look at him "so it's a trap?" I ask he doesn't answer and buffy looks over at him

"we've got a friend down there - or, a potential friend." She jokes "Do you know what it's like to have a friend?" he doesn't answer again and buffy looks at him and speaks gently

"That wasn't supposed to be a stumper."

"When you hit the tunnels, head east, toward the school. That's where you're likely to find them." I nod as a thank you

"You gonna wish us luck?" she asks He says nothing. She looks at him a moment more, then heads into the darkness. I quickly follow her but I stop for a moment when I hear him say good luck softly I smile. thank you, I quickly catch up with buffy

I look around this place is a maze buffy climbs down a latter and I follow shortly after we both look around taking it all in. I look down as a rat scurries across buffys foot it's cute we both start walking slowly down the tunnel she looks around the corner then starts walking down the corridor I follow but stop when I hear something buffy walks over

"Why did you stop"

"I hear something" she turns around and jumps slightly right in front of her is Xander!

"Did you see anything?" Xander asks

"Xander! What are you doing here?" buffy says a little agitated

"Something stupid. I followed you. I couldn't just sit around not doing anything."

"I understand. Now go away."

"Jesse's my bud, okay? If I can help him, then that's what I gotta do." Buffy gives up and just nods

"Besides, it's this or Chem class." I shake my head and we all continue through the darkness

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NO ONES POV

Giles has his arcane volumes out looking through them. After some digging, he finds something interesting. He looks closely at one passage, translating to himself from the Latin.

"For they will gather, and be gathered. All that is theirs shall be his... From the Vessel pours

life." Pours life..."

he looks at the picture in the book of A vampire holding his hand out, commanding a throng of villagers, all of whom are bleeding. Below, in what might be Hell, a demon glows with power. on the vampires, forehead is a symbol has been drawn, a star with three looks over at another passage.

"On the night of the crescent moon, the first past the solstice, it will come." Of course." He looks up "Tonight."

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NO ONES POV

In the computer lab Everyone is working, alone and in groups, devising programs. Cordelia and harmony are struggling with theirs.

"No! It's supposed to find the syntax and match it. Or, wait..." Cordelia says

"Are we going to the Bronze tonight?" harmony asks while typing slowly

"No, we're going to the other cool place in Sunnydale." Harmony looks at her "Of course we're going to the Bronze! Friday night, no cover. But you should have been there last night."

"I think we did this part wrong."

"Why do we have to devise these programs? Isn't that what nerds are for?" she leans over "What did she do?" Cordelia quietly asks harmony. Harmony cranes her neck to look at willow who's searching for what giles told her to search for

"Uh, she's doing something else."

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LELAS POV

Me Buffy and Xander turn a corner, ready for anything. But there's still nothing we all try to keep alert as Xander picks up the conversation he and buffy was in

"Okay, so: crosses, garlic, stake through the heart," Xander asks

"That'll get it done," Buffy answers

"Cool. Of course, I don't actually have any of those things." Buffy hands him a cross

"Good thinking."

"Well, the part of my brain that would tell me to bring that stuff is still busy telling me not to come down here. I brought this, though." He takes out a flashlight and turns it on

"Turn that off!" he quickly does

"Okay, okay. So, what else?"

"What else what?"

"For Vampire Slayage?"

"well theirs cutting its head off"

"So you've done some beheading in your time." He says a little weekly

"Oh, yeah. There was this one time, I was pinned down by this vampire, he played left tackle for the varsity - I mean, before he was... well anyway he's got one of those really thick necks and all I've got is a little Exacto knife –" she looks at Xander's face "You're not loving this story."

"Actually, I find it oddly comforting." I stop breathing through my mouth and try to sniff around to try and catch jesses sent one last time before and quickly cover my nose

"I can't help at all. all I smell is decay and crap," I say annoyance and disgust clear in my voice

"Great" buffy sighs

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NO ONES POV

Willow is busily bringing up the site from the Net, her brow furrowed in concentration. At the table behind her, Cordelia is struggling with a program while talking.

"Okay, and then "Pattern Run" right? Or "Go To End". That's it." Cordelia says

"Maybe... I think..." harmony states uncertain

"Well, what does the book say?" harmony looks it up while cordilia starts talking again

"So anyway, I come out of the bathroom and she comes running at me with a stick, screaming, "I'm

gonna kill you! I'm gonna kill you!" I swear." A guy next to them leans in

"Who?"

"Buffy."

"The new girl," Harmony says

"What's her deal?" the guy asks

"She's crazed!" Cordelia says

"Did you hear about her old school? Booted. her and her sister" harmony says Cordelia then looks at her confused

"Her sister you mean that other loser transfer?"

"Ya"

"I exhibit no surprise there both freaks"

"Why were they kicked out?" the guy asks

"Cause their psycho-loonies."

"No, there not," Willow speaks up no one says anything until Cordelia notices that willow just contradicted her.

"What?"

"there not psychos. You don't even know them there nice"

"Excuse me? Who gave you permission to exist? Do I horn in on your private discussions? No. Why? Because you're boring. And why don't you talk to the freakazoid sisters especially what's her name that you sicked on me"

Willow looks down, hurt and confused . She stands and takes some pages that have come up on the printer. And The girls turn back to their project.

"There. I think the program's done." Harmony says

"Finally, the nightmare ends. Now how do we save it?" Cordelia says

"Deliver," Willow says as she leaves

Cordelia stares at the screen "Deliver - where is that - Oh!" Cordelia sees a key labeled DEL thinking its deliver and clicks it. Everything on Cordelia's screen dissaperes deleted. after a long pause her smile melts into confusion and shock

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LELAS POV

Me Buffy and Xander are still making our way through the tunnels damn I hope we can find our way back because I'm completely lost. I look over at buffy as she starts speaking

"They're close," she says her brow furrowed

"How can you tell?" Xander asks

"No rats." I look around she's right the must of killed them all

"Over there. What's that?" Xander points at a small dark side chamber he pulls out his flashlight and shines it. Into the area. In the area is a body lying face down is that…

"Jesse!"

"Oh, no..." buffy and I walk forward and Xander keeps the light on us buffy reaches out when Jesse jumps up holding a pipe I pull buffy away before he swings Xander calls out to him

"Jesse!"

Jesse stops looking amazed "Xander?" he drops the pipe and they both hug Xander pulls away first and looks him over

"Jesse, man, are you okay?"

"I'm not okay on an epic scale. We gotta get out of here!" he points to his leg which is chained to the wall

"It's cool! Buffy's and lelas a superhero!"

I look at the chains and rip them out of the wall which makes a slightly loud noise ops… after a second I break the part that's attached to jesses ankle

"You think anybody heard that?" Xander asks

I look around and see a few black shapes move outta the shadows

"buffy" I say getting anxious

"They knew you were gonna come. They said that I -I was the bait..." Jesse says

"Oh, now you tell us," Xander says a little upset

"I've seen their leader." Buffy leads the two boys back through the tunnel as I guard the rear. She stops. As Shadows move at the other end.

"Oops," Buffy says

"Oh, no, no..." Jesse whimpers

"Do you know another way out?"

"I don't, uh, maybe?"

"Come on," Xander says we all head the other way fast. After a bit, we run into a few different paths

"Wait, wait. They brought me through here! There's a way up. I hope." Jessy says as we all take off we all run in, as some vampires approach slowly behind us. We all look around horrified there's no door!

"I don't think this is the way out," Buffy says she goes back to the doorway we came in and listens for the vampires

"We can't fight our way back through those things... what do we do?" Xander asks

"I've got an idea... You can die." I quickly turn my head to Jesse at his remark and my eyes widen he's a vampire. Xander backs away from Jesse and Buffy looks from him to the entrance, not sure what to do. I can hear the vampires getting closer

"Jesse... Man, I'm sorry..." Xander says

"Sorry? I feel good, Xander. I feel strong." Buffy grabs the door and tries to close it. I quickly join in to help her damn the stupid things rusted open

"I'm connected, man. To everything. I can hear the worms in the earth." Jesse continues

"Well, that's a plus," Xander says

"I know what the Master wants. I'll serve his purpose. That means you die. And I feed."

"Xander! The cross!" buffy yells Xander holds it up and Jesse stops coming toward him. The smiles leaves his face. I grunt as me and buffy keep trying to shut the door it finally begins to budge some I start to push harder as the vampires get closer

"Jesse. Man, we're buds. Can't you remember?"

"You're like a shadow to me now," Jesse responds as Xander moves towards him cross in hand

"Then get out of my face." Jesse stumbles back, pissed. And Xander backs him toward the door. Buffy and I continue to strain as The vampires get even closer. Jesse lashes out and knocks the cross from Xander's grasp. Buffy stops pushing and grabs him from behind and hurls him out of the room, knocking vampires over like bowling pins.

"Help us!"buffy yells to Xander as she joins me pushing the door again Xander snaps out of his shock and comes to the door. With all our backs to it, we finally slam it shut but not before an arm SHOOTS in, grasping for us. Buffy opens the door slightly and slams it again till the arm withdraws. She bolts the door, breathing heavily.

"I can't believe it... we were too late," Xander says as the vampires start trying to break down the door

"We need to get out of here," Buffy says

"There is no out of here!" buffy starts looking around throwing some junk out of the way checking for any doors as the hinges start to buckle on the door I decide to try and see if I can smell anything again I slowly take in a deep breath through my nose

"I smell fresh air guys look around!" I yell

Xander looks around "What's that?" I look where he's looking and it's an air vent

"it's our way out! Buffy open it!" I order putting all my strength into keeping the door from being knocked down as she does she quickly throws a box under it and opens it up climbing through she then helps Xander up just as another hard thud hits the door pushing me some this things about to go down! I quickly sprint to the vent. Just as I get on the box the door comes off its hinges I jump up and struggle climbing in buffy quickly helps pulling me inside she then rips more graiting loose and tosses it aside we all start crawling through the vent with the vampires on our heels we come into a wider space with a ladder going up and sunlight!

"Up?" Xander asks

"UP!" buffy says urgently He starts climbing, with me and buffy right behind him. He gets to the top and opens the grating, climbs up and out he then helps buffy threw and me I'm almost out when a vampire grabs my ankle trying to pull me back down.

"LELA!" buffy yells quickly helping Xander pull me up just as my ankle comes in contact with the light the hand withdraws its grip with a screech coming from its owner I slam the great shut and we all just lay there catching our breaths

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NO ONES POV

Giles is still pouring over his notes when Willow enters. He looks up

"Buffy?" willow shakes her head

"It's just me. So there's no word?"

"Not as of yet."

"Well, I'm sure they're... great."

"Did you find anything of interest?" willow sits and hands him the copied articles as she talks

"I think maybe. I looked through the old papers, around the time of that big earthquake back in '37. And for several months before it, there was a rash of murders."

"Great! I mean, not great in a good way... Go on."

"They sound like the kind you were looking for. Throats, blood. Months, and not even a clue."

"It's all coming together. I rather wish it weren't." just then the library opens to walking in Giles looks over at him

"yes," Giles asks

"I came here to give you back your money you gave to lela and buffy" mr. fluti then hands giles the twenty dollar bill which he takes confused "and sending students out on errands during school hours might have been acceptable where you're from but not hear understood" giles nods

"um-yes-I'm terribly sorry it won't happen again" Giles replies

"good" mr. Flutie leaves and willow looks at Giles

"What was that about?" willow asks

"I'm not completely sure" giles answers as he puts the money into his wallet

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NO ONES POV

Back in the church candles are being lit in the last row Darla steps back from it as she does another vampire does the same on the opposite wall they are both near the back of the church looking down the row of candles that run up the alter where the master is waiting. Luke steps forward, pulling off his shirt. kneeling before the Master. The Master holds out his hand. Luke leans forward and kisses it. The Master turn him open palm up and Luke kisses that as well. Gently, Luke takes the Master's wrist in his hand and brings his lips to that as well. And bites Master winces shutting his eyes. Luke feeds for a few moments, then the master brings his hand back up.

"My blood runs with yours. My soul is your province."

"My body is your instrument," Luke says

The Master takes a drop of blood from his wrist, and dabs it on Luke's forehead, painting the three-pointed star.

"On this most hallowed night, we are as one. Luke is the Vessel. Every soul he takes shall feed me.

Their souls will grant me the power to free myself. Tonight I will walk the Earth... and the

stars themselves will hide."

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LELAS POV

Buffy and Xander and I walk Into the library Willow takes one look at our faces and doesn't have to ask. But She does anyway.

"Did you find Jesse?"

"Yeah," Xander says

"Was he dead?"

"Worse." Buffy says upset as she sits "I'm sorry, Willow. We were too late. And they were waiting for us." I nod and sit on the ground by buffy

"They were smart about it to I couldn't tell he was a vampire because the stench in there took over all the others..." I sigh and mumble "he hinted it was a trap we should have listened"

"At least you three are okay," Willow says sadly as Xander kicks the trash bin in frustration

"I don't like vampires. I'm gonna take a stand and say they're not good." I sigh and look up at Xander

"Not all of them are some are ok"

"Yah right," he says annoyed and a little pissed at what I said that was just the reaction I expected I don't say anything else and just looked back at my hands

"So, Giles, you got anything that can make this day worse?" buffy asks

"How about the end of the world," Giles replies I look back up at this great job buffy

"I knew I could count on you."

"This is what we know. Some sixty years ago a very old, very powerful vampire came to this shore, and not just to feed."

"He came 'cause this town is a mystical whoosit?"

"Yes. The Spanish who first settled here called it Boca Del Infierno - roughly translated: Hellmouth. A sort of portal from this reality to the next. This vampire hoped to open it."

"Bring the demons back."

"End of the world," Xander says

"But he blew it. Or, I mean, there was an earthquake that swallowed about half the town. And him too - or at least there were no more vampire-type killings after." Willow says

"Opening dimensional portals is tricky business. Odds are he got himself stuck. Like a cork in a bottle." Giles adds

"And this Harvest thing is to get him out?" Xander asks

"It comes once in a century, on this night. the Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free, and to open the portal. The minion is called the Vessel, and he bears this symbol." He shows us a sketch of a three-pointed star

"So, I dust anyone sporting this look, and no Harvest." Buffy half asks and half says

"Simply put, yes."

"Any clue where this little get-together is being held?"

"Well, there are a number of possibilities—"

"They're going to the Bronze." Xander interrupts

"Are you sure?" willow asks

"Come on, tasty young morsels all over the place. Anyway, that's where Jesse's gonna be. Trust me."

"Then we need to get there. The sun will be down before long." I frown knowing that I have to go to I sigh quietly and follow everyone as they head towards the door

"we gotta make a stop. Won't take long." Buffy tells Giles

"What for?" he asks

"Supplies." She then looks at me "Lela you know you have to come to the bronze to"

I nod nervously "I know…" buffy sees that im nurvise and pats my shoulder giving me a slight smile to try and help it doesn't help much and I think she can tell

"just focus on killing the vampires ignore the people ok?"

I nod "ok buffy"

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I'm sitting on the bed as buffy goes through her closet deep in thought

"Buffy? Lela?" mom's voice pulls me out of my thoughts and I look over at her moms standing a fourth of the way in the room and Buffy keeps going through her clothes, picking out a good slaying outfit. "You're going out?"

"I have to," Buffy replies

"I didn't hear you two come in last night."

"We were quiet."

I pipe in "I had a panic attack at the bronze and she had to calm me down and it was really late by that time so we tried to be really quiet getting back in like Buffy said we didn't want to wake you"

Mom nods seeming to have bought it "that I can let pass but" she sighs "It's happening again, isn't it?" buffy stops and looks at her

"I got a call from your new principal. Says you two missed some classes today."

"we were... running an errand." Buffy then pulls out her old trunk and opens it rummaging through it

"We haven't finished unpacking and I'm getting calls from your principal." I look down some I hate causing mom all this trouble I wish we could tell her but saying hey mom there's vampires and mythical creatures running around and only me and buffy can kill them this is why we got kicked out oh and I'm also a werewolf I sigh inwardly she wouldn't believe us or get mad or scared or think were crazy if we show her we already lost dad I can't stand losing anyone else

"Mom, I promise you, it's not gonna be like before. But we have to go."

"No."

"Mom..." buffy looks out the window it's getting darker

"The tapes all say I should get used to saying it. No."

"This is important."

"I know. You have to go out or it'll be the end of the world. Everything is life or death when you're a sixteen year old girl."

"Mom, I don't have time to talk about it—"

"You've got all night, Buffy. You're not going anywhere neither of you. Now you can stay up here and sulk if you want. I won't hold it against you. But if you want to come down, I'll make us some dinner." I nod and mom leaves closing the door quietly yet firmly behind her after a bit buffy reaches into the trunk she reaches in and lifts out the inside of the trunk has a false bottom. Which is neat she takes out a few stakes and stuffs it into her back along with a few more items I stand up when she's done and listen closely and don't hear anything I think moms in her room I nod to buffy and she jumps out the window I stay behind for a few more seconds then sigh I hope mom doesn't come to check on us I quickly follow buffys moves and look into the sunless sky

"feeding time" I say to myself

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NO ONES POV

In the bronze, Cordelia is talking to her followers

"Senior boys are the only way to go. They're just a better class of person. The boys in our grade? Forget about it. They're children. Like Jesse did you see him last night? The way he follows me around... He's like a little puppy dog you just want to put him to sleep. Senior boys have mystery, they have ... what's the word I'm searching for? Cars." Cordelia says a follower starts to speak but she quickly interrupts "I'm just not the type to settle. If I go into a clothing store, I always have to have the most expensive thing not because it's expensive, but because it costs more." The follower tries to speak again just to be once more cut off by Cordelia "Hello! Miss Motormouth can I get a sentence finished? Oh! I love this song!" She gets up her followers staying close to her as they head to the dance floor and start dancing cordilias in the middle of the crowd while her followers are scattered around in it

Jesse walks in, and His eyes go right to Cordelia. He smiles.

Just outside the bronze Eight vampires with Luke in the middle. Quietly walk towards the door

Back inside Cordelia is still dancing with her friends, having a good time. As Jesse makes his way slowly through the crowd, not towards but around her, his eyes never leaving her. She sees him too and watches him noticing there's something different about him. A slow song starts playing and she goes to leave the dance floor but stops as Jesse stands in her way

"What do you want?" Cordelia asks He takes her hand and starts leading her onto the floor. Not saying a word "Hey! Hello, caveman-brain! What do you think you're doing?" He turns back to her smiling winningly.

"Shut up." He Brings her to the middle of the floor and starts dancing with her. He holds her, hardly touching her, moving slowly.

"Just this one dance..." She moves closer to him.

Back outside luke and the other vampires approach the door when The bouncer stops them

"I need ID." They start to move past him and he raises his voice slightly "Hey! Nobody goes inside until I see –" luke stands over him his face inches away

"Get inside." The bouncer hastily does as he's told. Once inside, the vampires spread out, each heading for an exit. Two of them stay behind and close off the front. Darla heads for the door by the stage that leads backstage. Goes in. One goes to the bar swings over it and stands in front of the door. One heads upstairs. And Luke climbs up on checks that the exit door is secure. Then she goes over to the fuse box and flips a switch. The main lights and the music go off. There are gasps and murmurs. A voice from the stage calls out:

"Ladies and gentlemen, there's no cause for alarm." A single spotlight shines near luke as he steps into the light full vampire and continues "Actually, there is cause for alarm. It just won't do any good." Major gasps and murmurs come at the sight of him. At the front door, A couple tries to get out. The vampire standing guard his normal face gone shakes his head no. They shrink back from him.

Cordelia stares at the stage, Jesse's hands still on her.

"I thought there wasn't any band tonight." She says then looks at Jesse to see that his face has changed as well. She Starts to struggle but he holds her and pulls her back into the dark under the stairs.

Darla re-emerges from backstage. And Looks up at Luke on stage.

"This is a glorious night. It's also the last one any of you shall ever see." Luke says "Bring me the first!" One of the vampires pushes the Bouncer up on stage.

"What do you guys want, you want money? Man, what's wrong with your faces?" Luke grabs him by the scruff of the neck, squeezing any further conversation out of him.

"Watch me, people!" he looks at the bouncer talking directly to him "Their fear is an elixir. It's almost like blood." he brings the Bouncer to him and bites his neck, sucking the life out of him in huge gulps. After a bit, he pulls his head back and throws the Bouncer's dead body from him. "Next!" he yells

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LELAS POV

Me Buffy and the others run up to the front door. Buffy tries to open it

"It's locked." She says

"We're too late," Giles states

"Well, I didn't know we were gonna get grounded!"

"Can you break it down? Lela your strong wolf girl right" Xander says and I shake my head

"I could try but it would make to much noise they would know"

"we will find another way lela change as soon as you can," buffy says I nod in response

"Right." Giles says he then looks to Xander and willow "Come on."

"Guys!" They stop and Buffy hands them the bag of tricks as I like to call it after a bit we find a window and climb in I stop for a second everyones scared and there's already two dead bodies and I can faintly hear arguing it sounds like Jesse and some other vampire he's saying This one's mine. And the other contradicts with They are all for the Master. Jesse then asks it what sounds like an upset and annoyed tone of voice I don't get one? I shake my head and continue to follow buffy she stops then looks at me and gives a thumbs up which is my cue to change I try to stay as quiet as I can while doing so. When I finish buffy continues to lead the way and I follow her silently

"I feel him rising! I need another!" that sounds like…I look down and sure enough, it is he has the three-pointed star that means he's…

"The Vessel..." buffy says out loud to herself pulling me out of my thought process and unforchently drawing the attention of a vampire I move far enough away for him not to notice me. He grabs Buffy, dragging her up to the middle of the balcony to present her to Luke. I don't move knowing she will be ok

"Tonight in his ascension. Tonight will be History at its end! Yours is a glorious sacrifice. Degradation most holy." Luke looks around "What, no volunteers?" a vampire emerges holding Cordelia

"Here's a pretty one." She says

"Noooo..." Cordelia whines as the vampire drags her across the stage and hands her to luke just then the vampire that took buffy is thrown off the balcony landing on his back right in front of the stage there's silence for a few seconds before buffys voice breaks it

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you in the middle something." I take this as my cue and jump down from the balcony next to her snarling at luke

"YOU!" he yells at us

"You didn't think we'd miss this, did you?"

Luke smiles "I hoped you'd come."

I growl louder at him a vampire then comes at buffy from the side she grabs him and throws him into the hookah scrambles back up and she flips herself over backwards, goes through the hole and lands on top of the pool table. A cue is lying on the table she does a hand spring and lands on the floor holding on the cue. A vampire rushes her from the other side without looking, she jams the cue end into his heart. Buffy then lets go, the cue stays right where it is.

"Okay, Vessel-boy. You want blood?"

"I want yours. Only yours."

"Then come and get it."

seeing her chance Cordelia tries to break free of Luke's grasp. He throws her to one side. Buffy runs, leaps at him and slams her fist into his face and he stumbles back in pain. As I wait for an opportunity to jump into the fight without interfering of hurting buffy a vampire rushes at me from the side and I simply grab him by his face and put mine inches from his growling I throw him towards a wall coat hanger and it pierces through his heart I quickly turn my attention back to buffy luke comes back at her but she ducks then comes back up with a roundhouse kick to the face. Another score. She whips out her stake and comes at him but he blocks. He Nails her in the face, and she skids into the corner, badly hurt. The stake falls at his feet. I quickly take the opportunity and run at him ripping him off the ground and throwing him at the wall I charge and lunge at him going for the kill when he rears his legs up and kicks me hard I fly a few feet and land with a loud thud onto the stage skidding off and landing on the floor. I lay still head pounding and sounds merging together a few noises stands out some a door opening a lot of russling feet

"Come on!" a distorted voice says I hear more footsteps some are running I think Xander and everyone are getting them out I slowly rise up slightly propping myself up with one arm and holding my head with my other damn this hurts I open my eyes and look around slowly everythings blurry I see blurs rush out and hear fighting behind me. Everything slowly starts to return to normal when I see a cymbal fly past me like a frizby into a vampire's neck where Xander is and I can hear him speak softly as the vampire turns to dust

"Heads up..."

I get up slowly and turn around just in time to see luke grabbing buffy from behind lifting her up into a crushing bear hug. As quickly as I can I head around the back to try and catch him off guard I'm scared that if I rush him he will kill her. I start to quicken my pace when I hear him say he's always wanted to kill a slayer and when I hear less struggling from buffy

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NO ONES POV

Xander starts to go to help Buffy when he hears a shriek, he turns and sees Cordelia being dragged off into the area below the stairs by Jesse. He throws her to the ground, kneeling above her. Pinning her.

"Hold still! You're not helping." Jesse yells at her Xander appears behind Jesse holding a stake. He could plunge it right through the back into the heart, but he hesitates.

"Jesse, man... don't make me do it." Jesse looks around, grinning.

"Buddy..." Xander takes a step back as Jesse rises, facing him.

"Jesse, I know there's still a part of you in there."

"Okay, let's deal with this. Jesse was an excruciating loser who couldn't get a date with anyone in the sighted community! Look at me now! I'm a new man!" He grabs Xander and hurls him against the wall. he falls in a heap to the cowering Cordelia. "See, the old Jesse would have reasoned with you." Jesse picks him up again, fury etching his face. "I'm sick of you getting in the way, you know? Cordelia, she's gonna live forever. You're not." Xander holds the stake up to Jesse's chest, determined but scared. "Oh, right! Put me out of my misery! You don't have the g—" a fleeing woman slams into Jesse from behind, driving him onto the stake. He drags himself on a stunned Xander turning into dust. Xander barely has time to react before two more vampires grab him.

Back up top with giles and willow People are still hurrying out

"Come on! We've got to open the front as well!" Giles yells He heads for the door to the main room and Darla jumps on him going for his throat. His stake is knocked out of his hand as he topples to the ground. Willow frantically digs through Buffy's bag, looking for a weapon. She pulls out the jar of holy water. Darla stops struggling with giles as willow yells at her

"Get off him!" Darla turns to face Willow and is doused with holy water right in the face. screaming, she brings her hands to her face, smoke pouring out from between her fingers. Giles pushes her off him getting up to face her. But Darla is already stumbling out the exit in smoking agony.

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LELAS POV

As I finally make my way around so that im behind them im greeted by the site of Buffy limp in Luke's grasp. Head dangling forward.

"Master, taste of this and be free," Luke says as he opens his mouth leaning in I can feel my blood boil NO! I run at him using one hand to hold his arm still before biteing his shoulder buffy takes the opportunity to head butt him with the back of her head making him stagger back some I bite down harder at this and luke obviously has had enough because his fist collides with my muzzle I quickly stop biting him and move to buffys side

"How'd he taste?" she asks I think for a moment he actually tasted like decay and ashes I look down at her and make small grunting sounds and a small whimper shaking my head

"Tastes that bad huh" I nod she then grabs the cymbal stand, and holds it as a weapon she Looks around her and sees a huge pane painted black I can tell by that look on her face that she has a plan brewing she then looks at Luke. He starts approaching us and she swings the cymbal stand at him he just smiles

"You forget. Metal can't hurt me. "

"There's something you forgot about, too," Buffy says luke hesitates, doubt clouding his face. "Sunrise." she then hurls the stand right through the plane glass window at the back of the stage shattering the entire thing. As the warm light streams in on him, he screams raising his hands then stops Puzzled. I make a snorting noise at how stupid he was as buffy drives a stake into his back. He arches forward, in real agony this time.

"It's in about nine hours, moron." At this Luke realizes the light from the window is merely a streetlight, shining in the darkness. He then Luke stumbles forward turning to dust

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NO ONE POV

Back in the church, the Master stumbles forward in the exact same position, the bright energy beginning to fade from him. He reaches out, nearly doubling over The last of the energy fades from the master.

"Nooooo..." he yelles weekly falling to his knees he reaches out blindly for support but What he touches is the wall, once again too strong for him to bend. Fury and despair runs across his face as he looks up at it. A scream wells up inside him, and it bellows out of him

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LELAS POV

Buffy looks down at the spot where Luke's body was. After a moment, she turns her gaze slowly toward the vampires. I follow her gaze and the vampires look at her expression for about 1/8th of a second, then they drop Xander and bolt out of the front door. Buffy and I start heading towards the middle of the dance floor. Giles and Willow come slowly out and meet me, Buffy and Xander there

"I take it it's over," Giles says

"Did we win?" willow asks as we all look about at the carnage that surrounds us. Most of the patrons have fled, though some remain, stunned and silent.

"Well, we averted the apocalypse. You gotta give us points for that." Buffy answers and I grunt nodding

"One thing's for sure. Nothing is ever gonna be the same." Xander states as I see willow reaching up wanting to pet my ears I just wag my tail and bend my head down so it will be easier on her I chuckle in my mind true but I could get used to this especially used to having friends spending more time with my sister and getting pet

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I walk beside willow Xander Giles and buffy with a smile on my face Everything is exactly the same people are talking and laughing and the sun is bright out. my smile fades some when I Pick up on Cordelia's conversation behind us

"Well, I heard it was rival gangs. Anyway, Buffy totally knew these guys which is too weird and I think her sister was dressed up in a Halloween costume I can't remember anything too well, but I'm telling you, it was a freak show." Cordelia states

"Oh, I wish I'd been there." A girl in her group says as they pass us. I shake my head and look over at Xander who still has a look of disbelief on his face.

"Well, what exactly were you expecting?" buffy asks

"I don't know! Something. The dead rose! We should've at least had an assembly." Xander says

"People have a tendency to rationalize what they can, and forget what they can't." Giles replies

"Believe me, I've seen it happen," Buffy says it's true so have I moms done it a lot before

"Well, I'll never forget it. None of it." Willow says

"Good. Next time you'll be prepared." Giles states

"Next time?" Xander asks

"Next time is why?" willow asks as well

"We stopped the master from freeing himself and opening the mouth of Hell. Doesn't mean he'll stop trying. I'd say the fun is just beginning." Giles answers

"More vampires?"

"Not just vampires. The next creature we face may be something quite different."

"I can hardly wait," Buffy says

"We're at a center of a mystical convergence here. We may, in fact, stand between the earth and total destruction." I wave my finger around in the air

"who-hoo" I say sarcastically

"this isn't good." Xander says

"Well, I gotta look on the bright side. Maybe I can still get kicked out of school." Buffy says as she smiles at Giles and starts off with me Xander and willow keeping toe with her

"Hey, that's a plan. 'Cause a lot of schools aren't on Hellmouths."

"Maybe you could blow something up. They're really strict about that." Willow jokes

"I was aiming for a subtle approach, like excessive not studying," Buffy states

"Or sleep in class with your head on the table so they think your dead" I add they laugh and I catch giles saying The earth is doomed. With a slight joking ness in his voice, I chuckle maybe not giles maybe not….wait! my twenty! I quickly run off catching up with giles stopping him he looks at me confused

"what is it" he asks

"did principal flutie give you twenty dollars today?!" I ask slightly frantic Giles looks a little surprised

"why yes he did how did you-" I quickly answer before he finishes

"when me and buffy tried to leave he stopped us and I had to say you sent us off to buy you a book and said you gave us a twenty for it Flutie made me give it to him and said he would give it back to you can I please have it back giles" he chuckles slightly reaching into his back pocket and taking out his wallet slipping out a twenty

"of course lela hear" I smile taking it then hug him "thank you giles"

"your welcome I was wondering why he gave me this"

"thanks again giles," I say before running back to buffy and the others she looks at me

"where did you go?" I simply hold up my twenty before putting it in my pocket

"together again" buffy chuckles as we all head to our classes.

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Hi, thought id say a few things um I don't have a scedual for these but I will put them up as fast as I can. I'm still working on how willow and lela will get together but that will be later also I know the spelling and stuff is shit but I'm trying my best im using two spell checkers on this to fix as much as I can just try to ignore the errors please and cordys name being spelled every which way xD I'm a very bad speller again im sorry and try to ignore the errors please and I hope you all are liking it.


	3. witch

WITCH

LEAS POV

"This is madness! What can you have been thinking? You are the Slayer! Lives depend upon you!" Giles says upset as he begins pacing "I make allowances for your youth, but I expect a certain amount of responsibility, and instead of which you enslave yourself to this, this…Cult?" he says as he stops pacing id say cult is a little too strong of a word. I look over at buffy from where I'm sitting on the library check-out counter she's wearing a white shirt and short red skirt that's to her knees its her cheerleading outfit she also has two yellow and red pompoms.

" You don't like the color?" buffy asks

"Id...Do you, um..." he says exasperated as he puts some books on a cart "Do you ignore everything I say as a, as a rule?"

"No, I believe that's your trick." Giles pushes the cart to the counter where I'm sitting as Buffy skips in front of him and poses.

"I told you, I'm trying out for the cheerleading squad!"

"You have a sacred birthright, Buffy. just like your sister can't you be more like her. You were chosen to destroy vampires, not to... wave pompoms at people. And as the Watcher I forbid it." he goes back to the table and I decide to cut in

"I don't like cheerleading Giles if there was something I liked hear and could handle you would be saying the same to me" he sighs at my remark

"see and also you'll be stopping me how?" buffy asks smugly

"Well, I..." Giles sits on the edge of the table and crosses his arms "By appealing to your common sense if such a creature exists."

"I will still have time to fight the forces of evil, okay? I just wanna have a life, I wanna do something normal. Something safe."

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NO ONES POV

In a dark attic, There are flowers and herbs hanging upside down from the rafters to dry and items with tags. A person moves around in the darkness to the cauldron. She waves a pendant on a chain over the brew, then pulls it back. She goes over to a rack and yanks off a doll hanging there by its neck on a wire.

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LELAS POV

Buffy, Willow Xander and I head to the gym for cheerleader tryouts as soon as we walk through the door we are greeted by Girls who are stretching and practicing, doing back handsprings, cartwheels and walking handstands. One girl even does a roundoff followed by a back handspring in a skirt! Wait I pay more attention and notice that they are all wearing skirts I quickly focus on willow trying not to stare at the girls.

"Giles didn't approve, huh?" willow asks buffy as they continue their conversation from the hall

"He totally lost his water. We haven't seen a vampire in over a week. I'd say he should get a girlfriend if he wasn't so old." buffy replies

"Well, we're behind you." I nod in agreement

"People scoff at things like school spirit, but look at these girls giving their all like this!" Xander stops speaking and I look over to see why which was a big mistake because we both end up staring at a girl named amber doing the splits between two chairs she looks at Xander and me I quickly focus back on willow trying to pretend like I wasn't staring "Ooo, stretchy! Where was I?"

"You were pretending that seeing scantily clad girls in revealing postures was a spiritual experience," Willow answered she didn't say anything about me staring to good that means no one noticed except maybe amber

"Who said I was pretending?" Xander looks at buffy " Oh, hey! Here's a good luck thing for tryouts." He hands her a silver bracelet

"What's this?" buffy asks

"What's that?" willow repeated seeming slightly upset

"Oh, how sweet!" I look over her shoulder and read the inscription

"'Yours Always.'"

"I-i-it came that way, really, they all said that!" Xander studders willow and I exhale sure they did

"Just look at that Amber. Who does she think she is, a Laker Girl?" Cordelia says I look at her a little confused why is she trying to have a conversation with us

"I heard she turned them down," Willow replies the cheerleading squad leader steps up with her clipboard and calls for everyone's attention.

"Okay, listen up! Let's begin with" she checks her clipboard "Amber Grove. If you're not auditioning, move off the floor." Amber moves to the middle of the floor and I blush some looking her over slightly

"oh gross are you checking her out!?" Cordelia says looking at me I stay calm and shake my head and point at a teacher selling candy

"I'm trying to figure out if I should buy something," I say hoping she buys it she just smirks at me

"figures your such a pig" I look down and start walking to the stands with everyone else when willow starts walking beside me

"don't listen to her," she says trying to help I look at her and nod smiling softly at her and she smiles back when we get on the bleachers I sit down and right when I do I see a girl walk over to willow

"Amy! Hi!" willow greets the newcomer amy

"Hi!" amy greats back

"I didn't know you wanted to be a cheerleader! You lost a lot of weight."

"Had to."

"Do you know Buffy and Lela?"

"Hi." Amy greets us both

"Hi." Buffy and I greet at the same time

"Oh, how I hate this, let me count the ways." Amber begins her routine. It's very athletic. She starts off with a needle split lift followed by a double spin and a jumping double spin. After landing, Amber launches herself into an aerial and a cartwheel. Jazz slides are then followed by a single spin. Everyone in the gym is intent on watching her including me

"She trained with Benson. He's one of the best coaches money can buy." Amy says to buffy which catches my attention

"They have cheerleading coaches?" I ask

"Oh, yeah! Doesn't buffy have one? I train with my mom, three hours in the morning, three at night." wow

"Hmm, that much quality time with my mom would probably lead to some quality matricide," Buffy says

"Oh, I know it's hokey. But she's really great." Cordelia turns away from Amber with a look of contempt on her face she makes an annoyed hmmm sound. Buffy and Xander watch Amber in amazement. Amy and Willow are impressed, too and I just try not to stare but I furrow my brows when I start smelling smoke coming from amber and even seeing it

"umm buffy!" I say glancing at her

"What the...?" buffy says seeing it to

"That girl's on fire!" willow says worried and surprised

"Enough of the hyperbole!" Cordelia says not even looking. Amber's hands catch fire and She drops her pom poms and screams. Buffy reacts as Amber flails her hands in the air. Buffy jumps up onto the stands and pulls down a banner. She runs back to Amber, knocks her down and snuffs out the flames with the banner. Everyone stares in shock.

"It's okay, it's okay, you're gonna be... okay," Buffy says trying to comfort her

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Buffy is pacing around the library and Willow Xander and I are sitting at the table I pull out some peanut butter cups that I went ahead and bought from the teacher it's one of those large packs with four in it and by the look im getting from Xander he wants one

"lela" he says pulling the puppy dog eyes on me I sigh and give him one

"thanks," he says smiling and taking a bite and just like stray dogs to some food everyone kind of looks at me wanting their own I groan and give everyone a peanut butter cup and throw the wrapper away and slouch back into my seat bummed because all my treats were begged away from me. I feel a tap on my shoulder and look over at willow she halved her piece and handed a half to me I take it and smile wide

"thank you willow" she nods smiling back and we both eat our halves as everyone else finishes off theirs

"ok" buffy throws away the bottom wrapper from the reses "I've been slaying vampires for more than a year now, and I have seen some pretty cringeworthy things, but... nobody's hands ever got toasted before."

"I imagine not," Giles says coming out of the cage where he tossed the wrapper

"So, this isn't a vampire problem."

"No."

"But it is funky, right? Not of the norm?" buffy says turning to Giles

"Quite. Spontaneous human combustion is, is rare, and, and scientifically unexplainable, but there have been cases for hundreds of years. Usually, all that's left is a pile of ashes."

"That's all that would have been left if it hadn't been for Buffy," Willow states

"So, we have no idea what caused this. That's a comfort." Xander says

"But that's the thrill of living on the Hellmouth!" giles states as he sits at the end of the table "There's a veritable cornucopia of, of fiends and devils and, and ghouls to engage." Everyone looks at him "Pardon me for finding the glass half full." Giles says deflating

"I kind of agree with him some," I say he seems to cheer up some

"Any common denominators in cases of spontaneous combustion?" buffy asks

"Uh, rage. In most cases the person who combusted was, was terribly angry or, or upset." Giles says I shake my head

"she wasn't angry or upset though it seemed like she was having fun during the tryout"

"So maybe Amber's got this power to make herself be on fire. It's like the human torch, only it hurts." Xander says

"I need to get the skinny on Amber. Find out if she's had any colorful episodes before." Buffy says as she starts to go

"That means hacking illegally into the school's computer system. At last, something I can do!" we all get up and go to buffy

"I'll ask around about her," Xander says

"You guys don't have to get involved," Buffy says

"What d'ya mean? We're a team! Aren't we a team?"

"Yeah! You're the Slayer lelas the guardian, and we're, like, the Slayerettes!" willow says

"we just don't like putting you guys in danger." I say worried

"Oh, huh, I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away." I smile slightly at what Xander said

"Okay, just walk softly, at least until we know a little more. I mean, what if Amber isn't causing these problems herself?" buffy states

"Well, then we have to determine who or what did, and, uh, deal with it accordingly," Giles says

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"hey" buffy and I say as we walk into the kitchen There are several wooden boxes and crates mom is trying to pry one open with a crowbar.

"Hi, how was school?" mom asks

"Mm, a reverent joy. What's all this?" buffy asks

"It's for the tribal art display."

"sweet," I say looking at some pieces

"Cool!" buffy says examining a piece I can tell she isn't as interested in them as I am "We had tryouts today."

"Oh, great! How'd it go?" mom asks

"I didn't actually get to try out. There was an accident. Pretty fierce competition, though." I walk over

"do you want some help with that mom?"

"yes please" she sighs relieved as she walks over to some papers when she starts looking through them and signing some I open the lid with one hand

"Mom?" buffy says

"Yeah?" mom answers still working on her paperwork

"What was I trying out for?"

"Oh, uh..." she stops what she's doing and finally looks at buffy "Some activity? I have no idea, I'm sorry."

"That's okay. Your platitudes are good for all occasions." Mom sighs

"I'm distracted." She starts working on the papers again "Got a lotta inventory to go through, here." She sighs "This is my Gallery's first major show."

"It was cheerleading."

"Oh good! I'm glad you're taking that up again, it'll keep you out of trouble."

"I'm not in trouble."

"No, not yet." I bite my lip please let's not start this again I look at buffy who has a hurt expression clear on her face mom looks up and sees it to

"I mean, you stopped cheerleading just before the trouble, so it's good you're going back." She says trying to make what she said better she comes back to the crate I opened and I move some so she can get in it she partly lifts up a statue "Oh, dear."

"What?"

"The fertility statue, you don't need to see it." Before she puts it back down I catch a glimpse of the statue which is a naked man I quickly look away from the box

"oh man I didn't need to see that!" I say and walk away from the box to the wall furthest away

Mom laughs some at my reaction and goes back to her clipboard.

"Y'know, there's this girl, Amy, and, um, she trains with her mom, like three hours a day," Buffy says trying to see if mom will help her

"Uh-huh," Mom says

"Sounds like her mom's pretty into it."

"Sounds like her mom doesn't have a lot to do." She walks out of the kitchen with a piece of art. And Buffy lifts the crate's lid a little bit and looks in. "Jeepers!" buffy says quickly closing it I snort and start laughing loudly and buffy shoots me a playful glare

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BUFFYS POV

I watch joy the cheerleading squad leader pace

"Despite the terrible thing that happened yesterday we still have to pick new cheerleaders. If you make the team you'll find your names posted in the quad after lunch. Let's begin with group performance." She says

"Why do my hands have to sweat when I get nervous?" amy asks me I look at her reassuringly

"Don't worry. You'll do great."

"Five, six, seven, eight!" joy recites loudly "

Sunnydale! Sunnydale! We never fail! We never fail! Jump and Shoot! Swish and score! The other team is such a bore! Yeah!" we all chant and do a cartwheel but amy messes up and crashes into Cordelia. She yelps as she falls and then quickly gets up.

"You saw that, right? That wasn't me! You saw that right?" Cordelia looks at Amy and back to the leader "Right?"

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i pass the trophy case some and see amy looking at the trophies in the case with a longing look. I go over to her and she must have noticed because she smiles and points to a picture in the case.

"That's my mom!" amy says I look at the picture and trophy

"No! way!" I read the inscription "Catherine Madison. Get down with your bad self!"

"Her nickname was Catherine the Great. She took that team and made them tri-county champions. Y'know, no one's ever done that before, or since. She and my dad were Homecoming King and Queen. They got married right after graduation."

"That's kinda romantic."

"Well, he was a big loser. Never made any money. Ran off with Miss Trailer Trash when I was twelve."

"Okay, that part's less romantic. My folks split up, too."

"Drag, huh? he left my mom with nothing. She put herself through cosmetology school." Amy smiles "Bought me everything I ever wanted." She shakes her head "And never once gained a single pound." I walk around to face Amy

"Uh, she sounds really great, Amy, but, um... it doesn't mean that you need to lockstep as far as this cheerleading thing."

"She was the best! And I can't get my body to move like hers! I choked in there so bad!"

"No, Amy, you did fine," I say trying to cheer her up but fail

"I'm gonna get changed."

"Wait! No..." I quickly say trying to get her to stop but it doesn't work she walks past willow and Lela

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LELAS POV

I stare at the clock above the teachers head as she talks come on come on ring damn you just as I think that the school bell rings I breath out happy and quickly get up from my seat and right as I walk to the door willow comes in. her class must of ended earlier than mine

"Hi Lela" willow greets

"Hi Willow" willow smiles

"Do you want to find Buffy with me"

"Sure" I smile back to her and we both head out just as willow turns a corner I catch buffys sent "Willow she's this way" I point down the hall she heads back over to me and I lead the way

"How do you" she stops talking and just laughs "caught her sent?"

"Yup"

As we walk through the door amy walks towards us

"Hey, Amy!" willow says but amy just walks by we both head over to buffy "Is she okay?

"No, she's, she's wiggin' about her mom, big cheer queen back when," Buffy answers

"Yeah, her mom's kinda..."

"...Nazi like?"

"Heil. If she gains an ounce she padlocks the fridge and won't eat anything but broth." Padlocks? This woman shouldn't have had a kid if she did this kind of stuff just for gaining an ounce of weight

"So, mommy dearest is really... Mommy Dearest?"

"There's a bitter streak. But Amy's nice. We used to hang in Junior High. When her mom would go on a broth kick Amy'd come over to my house and we'd stuff ourselves with brownies!"

"yum," I say out loud mainly to myself as we all start walking down the hall

"Hey, any word on Amber?" buffy asks

"Nothing thrilling. Average student. Got detention once, for smoking. Regular smoking... with a cigarette, not, like being smoky." Willow answers

"Hmm."

"All pretty normal."

"So we just have to wait and we'll see what happens. Maybe nothing will."

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NO ONES POV

In the girl's locker room, Amy is alone at her locker. She hears a noise and turns to look but sees nothing. she closes her locker and starts to go, but is surprised by Cordelia.

"I have a dream. It's me on the cheerleading squad, adored by every varsity male as far as the eye can see! We have to achieve our dreams, Amy. Otherwise we... wither and die!" Cordelia says

"Look, I'm sorry about..." amy starts but Cordelia cuts her off

"Shhh! If your supreme klutziness out there today takes me out of the running, you're gonna be so very beyond sorry!" she smiles "Have a nice day." Cordelia turns and leaves but not before throwing her scrunchie into an open locker and slamming the door as she rounds the corner, but it doesn't stay shut. Amy leans on her locker when Cordelias gone scared.

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LELAS POV

"come on" I say annoyed and slap the soda machine "you can't just take my dollar" I look around and tilt the machine shaking it some when I finally hear a clunk I ease it back down and grab my soda and smirk at the machine "lela one drink machine 0 try harder next time" I spin on my heel and walk off putting the drink in my pocket for later I was going to go to the library to read but I catch willows and Xander's scents Xander's being mutch stronger than usual I decide to just follow their scents instead of reading after a few turns I hear them talking I think there outside

"I told Buffy and lela about Amber." A voice that is clearly willows says

"Cool! Was buffy wearin' it? The bracelet, she was wearin' it, right? Pretty much like we're goin' out." Xander says I shake my head and walk thru the door leading outside and jump out at them as thy walk by where I came out and wrap my arm around Xander's neck leading against him some walking with them

"Except without the hugging or kissing or her knowing about it," I say they both look confused for a second but they soon figure out I was close enough to of been able to hear them I guess there still getting used to my abilities

"So I'm just a figure of fun." Xander says exhaling "I should ask her out, right?"

"You won't know till you ask," Willow says

"That's why you're so cool! You're like a guy! You're my guy friend that knows about girl stuff!" serially Xander no girl wants to hear that!

"Oh, great. I'm a guy." Willow says not too happy about what he said I remove my arm from around his neck and walk in front of them backwards

"smoothe Xander" I say with a slight sigh

"how did you even find us" he asks I grin and shake my head tapping my nose

"you really should take a bath tonight Xander it was easier than usual" willow laughs at this and Xander just pouts and smells himself then makes a face

"noted" I laugh at his understanding that a bath is needed "Oh, hey, they're posting the list!" he says suddenly then runs off I turn around and walk beside willow as we catch up with him when we get closer we see buffy and Amy and Xander standing behind them. A girl pushes past the crowd of people at the bulletin crying I look at Amy as she starts speaking

"I can't take this," Sher says upset

Xander gently moves amy some and moves forward "Cover me, I'm goin' in." he says

"Xander wait don't!" I say as fast as I can but its too late he already went into the lion's den "he's so dead" I say after a bit we see Cordelia come out of the crowd and look at amy

"You're lucky!" she says

"I made it?" Amy asks hopefully

"I made it!" Cordelia says smugly walking away as she leaves Xander struggles getting out of the crowd and gets hit on the way out

"One of those girls hit me really hard! You should test for steroids." I shoot him a look that says I told you, you shouldn't of went in there he gives me a sheepish look back knowing that I was right then looks at amy and buffy "Okay, not only did you make the team, but you, Miss Summers, are the first alternate, and Amy's number three." Oh no, I look at amy who looks at Buffy, badly disappointed and leaves with buffy following her to try and help "And what a better way to celebrate than with a romantic drive through..." Xander starts but stops seeing that amy and buffy had left

"Xander, alternates are the ones who didn't make the team, they only fill in if something happens to the ones who did," Willow tells him

"For I am Xander, King of Cretins. May all lesser cretins bow before me." He says upset with himself I pat his shoulder

"you didn't know" I smile at him trying to cheer him up

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BUFFYS POV

I quickly catch up with amy

"At least it's over. And you know what I think we should do about it? Brownie pig out, my house, after school. Ill make sure Lela doesn't eat them all" I smile at her but it quickly fades when I see it didn't cheer her up

"It's just how many more hours a day can I practice? Y'know, how much more can I do? This would never happen to my mother. Never." Amy finishes walking off all I can do is just watch her go not knowing what I can do to help her

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NO ONES POV

in the same attic, there's a bunch of tagged personal items that was taken from people. At a culdren, there's a person stirring

"Give me the power. Give me the dark." A female voice says She goes to get another doll from her rack. "I call on you, the laughing gods." She yanks one of the dolls off of the rack. "Let your blackness crawl beneath my skin." She wraps Cordelia's scrunchie around the doll's head. "Accept thy sacrifice... of Cordelia. Feed on her." She then drops the doll into the brew.

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LELAS POV

I watch buffy from where I'm leaning on the wall as she takes out her fresh toasted half bagel She takes it to the island in the middle of the kitchen to put some stuff on it.

"are you sure you only want to eat an apple?" buffy asks as she spreads cream cheese on her bagel

"Yes I'm sure" I reply taking a bite out of my apple

"Look what I found. It's my yearbook from junior year. Oh, look! There I am. " mom says as she walks in and puts the book down on the island and goes to get a cup of coffee I smile and walk over looking at the book and buffy does the same

"Mom, I've accepted that you've had sex. I am not ready to know that you had Farrah hair." Buffy says

"This is Gidgit hair. Don't they teach you anything in history?" I look back and forth at them both

"gidgit? Farrah? Sometimes I really don't understand you two" I say finishing my apple and throwing it away and mom just chuckles some at what I said

"Well, it's really cool, but we gotta book," Buffy says

"Well, I was thinking. I know the cheerleading thing didn't work out... Maybe you should think about joining the yearbook staff. Both of you. I did, it was a lot of fun."

"Not really my tip, mom," Buffy says as she opens the fridge

" I'm sorry mom but I don't want to be part of that a little bit too much attention for my taste," I say she seems to understand and turn her focus to convincing buffy more than me now

"I was, uh, photo editor. I got to be on every page, made me look much more popular than I was." Mom says

"And have you seen the kids that do yearbook? Nerds pick on them." Buffy says walking to her bag I quickly look at her then to mom she looks hurt from buffys statement

"Some of the best times I had in school were working on the yearbook!"

Buffy faces mom looking a little sorry but kind of annoyed buffy please don't start this early "Oh, this just in I'm not you! I'm into my own thing."

Mom don't engage don't engage I repeat done engage "Your own thing, whatever it is, got you both kicked out of school, and we had to move here to find a decent school that would take you two!" buffys obvisally hurt by moms statement and honestly I am a little hurt to buffy gets her bag and walks out I look back and forth to where mom is and where buffy walked out and quickly grab my stuff following her I can hear mom calling for us then sighing I catch up to buffy

"you know she only said that because she was hurt" buffy just keeps walking "she called for us then sighed I hurd her she's sorry for saying it"

"…I know I just wish she would stop bringing it up" buffy says still hurt I nod and sigh

"I know…"

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NO ONES POV

In the school hall, Cordelia walks past Willow and Xander in a daze.

"Cordelia, you haven't been mean to me all day. Is it something I've done?" Xander says then speaks to willow "Okay, see how she has no clue that I'm even a mammal, much less a human being?"

Willow takes the pen from her mouth "I see that." She says

"This is the invisible man syndrome. A blessing in Cordelia's case. A curse in Buffy's."

Willow closes her locker "You're not invisible to Buffy." She chews on her pen some more as they start to walk down the hall.

"It's worse! I'm just like a part of the scenery, like an old shoe. Or a rug that you walk on every day but don't even really see it." Willow takes the pen back out of her mouth

"Like a pen that's all chewed up, and you know you should throw it away, but you don't, not 'cause you like it so much, more 'cause you're just used to..." Xander interrupts her and she throws the pen away

"Well, yeah, that is the point, you don't have to drive it through my head like a railroad spike. I'm gonna take your advice and not beat around the bush."

"Or I could be wrong! Maybe you should beat around the bush more."

"Nah, I gotta be a man and ask her out. Y'know, I gotta stop giving her ID bracelets, uh, subtle innuendoes, taking Polaroids outside of her bedroom window late at night that last part is a joke to relieve the tension because here she comes." Buffy comes out of a classroom and walks toward them. "Okay, into battle I go. " he quickly turns to Willow "Would you ask her out for me?" he asks grabbing her by the shoulders, startling her.

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BUFFYS POV

I walk over to Xander and willow and catch Cordelia trying to get into her locker at least I think it's hers I look back at Xander and willow and Xander reliseing willows shoulders

"No. Man. Me battle." He pauses and I look back to where Cordelia is then stopped in front of Xander "Buffy! Would you like to, uh..."

"Is that even Cordelia's locker?" I ask interrupting him we all look at her as she gives up and continues down the hall

"Huh? Oh, I don't know. What I'm saying is accompany me Friday night..."I watch her leave and cut him off again worried

"Xander, I have to, um..." I turn to face him "We can make this up later. You don't mind do you?" I give him my book and quickly follow Cordelia. I follow her outside where people who try to get their license go Cordelia heads to her instructor and I spot Lela what is she doing here I walk over to her she must have smelt me because she turns around to look at me

"what are you doing hear" I ask her

" Cordelia's been acting off so I followed her same reason as you I'm guessing" I nod and watch

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NO ONES POV

Cordelia's driving teacher is waiting for her impatiently He turns and sees her coming.

"Nice of you to join us, Cordelia. We didn't keep you waiting or anything, did we? It's your turn to drive. Okay, people, let's buckle up." He says annoyed and sarcastically as Cordelia goes around the front of the car

"I don't wanna drive today, Mr. Pole."

"You've flunked Driver's Ed. twice already. Show me some moves, or you'll be taking the bus to college." He gets in the car. Cordelia gets in last. Buffy and Lela watch from behind a school bus. "Okay. Check the brake. Check the mirror. Start the engine." Cordelia turns the key and the engine starts. "Hello? Put the car in drive." Cordelia struggles with the shifting lever. "Let's move forward through the cones with a gentle even turn to the..." he couldn't finish his sentence as the car takes off backward crashing into some signs and stops. Cordelia then gets it in drive and the car races forward "Slow down. Slow, slow, turn right! Turn right!" Mr. pole says frantically. Cordelia loses control as the car races along the course, knocking down cones and signs. "Brakes! Brakes!" he screams frantically the car crashes through the fence and bushes, out onto the street where it comes to a sudden halt. Another car just manages to swerve around them. "Everybody out!" Mr. pole yells everyone frantically gets out and runs back to the school. Everyone except Cordelia who is in a daze she walks into the middle of the street. A delivery van is coming the other way, but it doesn't slow down. Buffy quickly jumps into action running to where Cordelia is. Cordelia turns to see the van coming and starts screaming. Buffy leaps over the Driver's Ed. car and grabs Cordelia, pulling her down and out of the way. The van takes out the open car door as Buffy and Cordelia roll to a stop. Lela runs over to buffy and Cordelia flipping off the truck when she reaches them she looks down quickly when she hears Cordelia yelling slightly very frantic

"Oh, my God, I, I can't see anything!"

"It's, it's okay, it's..." buffy stops when she sees Cordelia's eyes Lela looks at her eyes as well and covers her mouth

"Oh God!" Lela says

"What's happening? I can't see anything!" Cordelia says getting more frantic looking at them Her eyes have no more irises and are completely white.

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LELAS POV

We all are sitting at a table in the library as we wait for Giles to speak everyones looking at him so I take this opportunity to take out a starburst I had in my pocket to eat before it got begged away from me but Xander cut me to the quick and did another puppy dog face begging for it I groan loudly and slide it to him

"Xander lelas gonna beat you up of you keep begging for her food" buffy says when she notices Xander eating some candy and me staring up at the ceiling slouched in my seat

"she wouldn't would you?" he asks I raise my hand into the air annoyed

"once a week or even month is fine but back to back isn't Xander I need my food" I whine I can hear him chuckle at me whining

"ill get you a chocolate bar tommow alright?" I shoot up in my set at hearing this and nod

"alright" this time willow buffy and Xander laugh at how quickly my mood changed and I just look away some blushing embarrassed I look up where giles is as he clears his through and starts speaking

"Witchcraft. Blinding your enemy to disorient and disable them is, it's classic!"

Xander finishes the starburst then starts to speak "First vampires, now witches. No wonder you can still afford a house in Sunnydale."

"Why should someone want to harm Cordelia?"

"Maybe because they met her? Did I say that?" I giggle at willows remark and she smiles at me I quickly return the smile still giggling some

"And setting Amber ablaze?" Giles asks

"Yeah, those guys don't hang..." Xander adds

"They're both cheerleaders," Buffy says figuring it out

"Someone doesn't like cheerleading," Giles states

"Or likes it too much," I say

"Amy!" willow says quickly

"Amy!" buffy repeats

"So, you guys are leaning towards Amy?" Xander asks

"She's desperate to get on that team, and I've got this feeling she'd do just about anything to make her mom's dream come true."

"Uh, let me make sure I have this right. This witch is casting horrible and disfiguring spells so that she can become a cheerleader?" Giles says not really believing our conclusion

"I think you're underestimating the amount of pressure a parent can lay on you. If you're not a picture perfect carbon copy they tend to wig." Buffy says and I nod in agreement

"Cheerleading was kind of her mom's last hurrah," Willow adds

"Look, we still have to stop Amy. We should grab her and..." giles interrupts Xander

"I think we should be sure she's the witch before we arouse her suspicions. She's, she's capable of some fairly unpleasant things."

"Okay, alright," buffy says getting up "so, you're in high school, you are desperate to make the team and please your mom, so you turn to witchcraft. What's the first thing you're gonna do?"

"Check out the books on witchcraft!" willow answers. She and Buffy go over to the computer to access the online library card catalog

"Uh, no! No, that would be the last thing you would do! You don't wanna leave a paper trail. Forget that!" Xander says frantically walking over to them

"It'll just take a minute."

"We don't have a minute! Cheerleaders are in danger. Buffy's in danger." He looks at buffy "You were the first alternate, you are on the team now that Cordelia's out. You could be next. We gotta get you to a safe house."

"Xander..."

"Yeah," Xander replies innocently Willow exhales

"Witches Historic Roots to Modern Practice. Checked out by Alexander Harris."

"The Pagan Rites checked out by Alexander..." buffy reads but Xander cuts her off

"Alright, alright, it's not what you think." Xander starts

"You like to look at the semi-nude engravings?" willow says I get up at hearing this and slowly walk over peeking at the screen I look away as soon as I see there's no pictures

"Oh, well, uh, I-I guess it is what you think," Xander says

"Have you all quite finished? We have to find a conclusive test. There may be something in here..." Giles says flipping through pages of his book "Yes, this should do it. You'll need some of her hair, a little quicksilver, and some aquafortis."

"Well, that's just mercury and nitric acid. You can get that in the science lab." Willow says

'Heat ingredients and apply to the witch, and if a spell has been cast in the previous 48 hours, witch's skin turns blue. Hmm." He shuts the book "Oh, and you'll need some Eye of Newt."

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BUFFYS POV

"Those of you in track one may begin your dissections... now." Dr. Gregory says as He shows where the students should cut their frogs. I look behind me Xander is trying to take his frog's eye out with tweezers. But keeps failing "Those of you in track two take your hydrochloric acid and your ammonium hydroxide and carefully pour them into your beakers."

"I can't." I hear Xander say I look back at him and willow grabs the frog and takes out its eye and drops it into the beaker

"Eye of Newt!" she says I take that as my cue and walk to amys table when I stop at it Lishanne starts to speak to me

"Isn't this exciting!"

"Oh, yeah!" I say then look at amy "Amy, help me. Um, which is the hydrochloric acid and which is the, uh, ammonium hydroxide?" I ask

"Well, the bottle that says hydrochloric acid is usually the hydrochloric acid." She answers

"Read the bottles. Good concept!" I laugh nervously and drop my pencil "Oops." I crouch down to get it and quickly reach into amys bag and pull some hair off of her brush I get back up and try to pretend nothing happened I wave my pencil some "got it" I tell her as I head back to my table I put the hair on willows and Xander's table before sitting down. Willow picks up the hair and mixes it into the concoction.

"All set." I hear willow say I get back up and take the tube as she hands it to me "you have a plan?"

"lela sits behind her she's going to trip me and it will spill on her" I answer

"We're right behind you, only... further back," Xander says I slowly start making my way to amy

"Lishanne, can you tell me why these chemicals have this reaction?" dr. Gregory asks as I get to lelas table she trips me and I stumble forward spilling some of the mixture onto amys arm. As soon as it makes contact it turns blue she's the one " Lishanne? Are you... Oh, my God! " I look at lishanne as dr. Gregory says that and she's shaking her head violently she turns towards me and she doesn't have a mouth amy lela and I and more than likely everyone else stares amazed and stunned. Dr. Gregory tells everyone to leave the room we all leave except for Lela who stays behind to help calm her down. Willow Xander and I walk down the hall in silence before Xander breaks it speaking

"Did you see? Amy was as freaked out as the rest of us."

"So it's not her?" willow asks

"The test was positive! She's our Sabrina. I just don't think she realizes what she's doing." I answer

"Well, should we talk to her?"

"Maybe we should talk to her mother. I wonder if she knows what she's created."

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NO ONES POV

Amy walks through the gate to her house she opens the door and walks in closing it behind her looking for her mother

"Where are you?" Amy asks when her mother Catherine hears her she quickly turns off the TV and gets up just as Amy sees her. "Another productive day in front of the TV?" Catherine just looks back. "I got a history report due tomorrow." Amy drops her bag "Write it!" Catherine can only keep looking and exhales. "I should be on that team by now. But instead, Miss Buffy sister and friends are sneaking around stealing bits of my hair. Catherine shakes her head. Amy opens her hand and out drops Buffy's bracelet it dangles being held up by only two fingers "I'll be upstairs." Amy leaves and Catherine watches her go.

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The next morning in Buffy's room the alarm clock goes off buffy wakes up slightly and slaps it hard enough to smash it. This quickly catches her attention and she lifts her head up "Oh! Oops!" she says not really upset about it "Oh..." she gets up and heads to the kitchen

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LELAS POV

I listen to the birds outside as me and mom finish making some freshly squeezed orange juice I pour some into my glass and set it on the table. Me and mom look over as we hear buffy singing after hearing her she comes skipping in wearing her cheerleading outfit

"Macho, macho, man! I want to be a macho man. Macho... Oh, hey, juice!" just as buffy says that she picks up my juice and chugs it

"hey that was!" I sigh "never mind"

"Mm... Quality juice. Not from concentrate!" I shoot her a slight glare and get another glass

"You're in a good mood." Mom says as I fill my new cup with some more orange juice

"I am! I'm on the squad which is great cause I feel like cheering and leading others to cheer. Ooo, hey, juice!" buffy snatches my glass from my hand and chugs the juice again leaving me growling as she slides it back into my hand I place it back on the counter and throw my arms in the air in defeat

"I give up!" I let them fall back to my sides groaning

"Listen, honey, about yesterday, I really..." mom starts

"Mm! That is totally yester. Besides, it's not like you were wrong, y'know. I did get kicked outta school. I'm just wacky that way!" I raise my eyebrow at what she said somethings really wrong with her

"Still, I just want you to know that, despite the problems you've had, I really..." buffy cuts mom off

"Mom, you just don't get it. And, believe me, you don't want it. Y'know, there are just some things about being a Vampire Slayer that the older generation..." my eyes grow wide at what buffy says ignoring what's being said I scoop hers and my stuff up and grab her hand tugging slightly

"as much as it would be great to talk about this right now were gonna be late and buffy needs to be at school earlier now come on buffy" I tug again and she follows me singing macho man all the way to the school gym. As she gets positioned in the line up I pace around waiting for willow and Xander

"Five, six, seven, eight!" joy yells and all The cheerleaders begin practicing a routine.

"Turn up the music!" buffy yells I sigh please don't turn it up it's hurting my ears. The routine continues until Buffy stomps on Joy's foot

"Ow! Get it together Buffy! We have a game in less than four hours!" joy yells just then Xander and Willow come in and walk over to me

"hey why so down wanting to join?" Xander asks I ignore his joke

"it's buffy she's.." I get cut off as buffy starts yelling and jumping around gleefully

"Willow! Xander! My buds are here! I love my buds! Hi!" when she notices people are stairing she gets back in the line and continues the routine

"Is it me, or is Buffy a bit looped?" Xander asks and Willow casts a worried gaze.

"we need to get her out of hear before she…" I once again get cut off as Buffy overthrows Joy's aerial, sending her crashing into the gym wall "...hurts someone." Joy gets up as Buffy comes running over.

"Did I do that?" she asks joy pushes buffy and I quickly head over willow and Xander following

"You are so out of here!" joy says angerly I gently grab buffys shoulder before she can do anything else and Xander and willow grab her by both arms shortly after

"It's not her fault!" willow defends

"She's on medication," Xander says

"What?" buffy asks Xander

"Well, obviously not enough," Joy remarks I glare at her and try to fix the situation some so they don't think she's mental

"buffys felt sick so she's taking heavy medication so she's loopy"

"whatever. Who's our next alternate? Oh. Amy, you just made cheerleader."

"No, no, no. You don't want her, she's a wi..." Xander quickly puts his hand over Buffy's mouth.

"A wise choice indeed!" he says as we all leave Xander and willow pulling buffy away and out the doors and I hold them open

"She's a witchy!"

"Buffy..." willow starts as we begin down the hall

"I just got kicked off the team, didn't I?"

"I don't think it was your fault," Xander says

"Hmm, I know you don't, that's cause you're my friend. You're my Xander-shaped friend!" buffy leans her head on his shoulder "Do you have any idea why I love you so, Xander?"

"We gotta to get her to a..." Xander stops her with a hand gesture

"Let her speak!" he says

"I'll tell you! You're not like other boys at all."

"Well..." he starts before buffy cuts him off

"You are totally, and completely one of the girls!" she looks at willow "I'm that comfy with him." Willow smiles widely and I just laugh

"That's great," Xander says not too happy with what she said

"Any other guy who'd give me a bracelet, they'd... wanna date me, and be like a..." she stops and her dopey mood takes an instant turn "Oh! I, I don't feel so good."

"Buffy?" I ask worried she then collapses into Xander's and willows arms "BUFFY!?" I pick her up and start running to giles Xander and willow following me after a few minutes we reach the library and Xander gets in front of me opening the door I walk in and look around "GILES!" he walks out of his office

"no need to yell what is…" he stops when he sees me holding buffy "good lord what happened" he rushes over

"I don't know she was acting loopy then we dragged her out of the gym and she fainted" he sets up a chair and I lay her down in it he leaves back for his office. Willow and Xander sit in chairs near her and I sit in one right beside her moving some hair out of her face. Giles comes back in with a wet cloth and a book willow gets up and takes it from him propping buffys head up and laying it on her forehead keeping it there I can't stay still anymore so I get up and start pacing after what feels like hours of giles looking through his book buffy wakes up but I can tell she still isn't feeling good so I don't say anything

"We've gotta get her to a hospital!" willow says scared

"They can't help her. This is a bloodstone vengeance spell." Giles says as he takes her pulse "Hits the body hard like a, a quart of alcohol, and then it e-eradicates the, uh, immune system." So someone's out to kill her?! A loud growl rumbles deep in my chest which causes everyone to look at me slightly scared but then go back to buffy

"A vengeance spell, like she's trying to get even with Buffy?" Xander asks

"Cause she knows I know she's a witch," Buffy says weekly

"The others she just wanted out of the running. You she intends to, um..." Giles starts but I cut him off with a growl in my voice

"kill"

"How much time do we have?" willow asks

"Oh, uh, I'm sure, uh..." Giles starts but buffy cuts him off

"Truth. Please."

"Couple of hours... Three at most."

I start pacing faster at this growling louder "how do we reverse it giles!" I say worried and angry

"Well I, I've been researching that, and, uh, we can reverse all the spells if, um..." Giles starts getting up taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes "...we can just lay our hands on, on Amy's spell book."

"And if we can't get a hold of it?" willow asks

"Well, the other way is to cut the witch's head off." He says putting his glasses back on

"Show of hands!" Xander asks as he and I raise our hands

"It's not Amy's fault. She only became a witch to survive her mother." Buffy says

I breathe out trying to stay calm "I don't care why I only care that you keep breathing buffy if it comes down to it her head will be taken," I say as calm as I can which at this point sounds emotionless Buffy nods slowly then looks at Giles

"Giles, where would she be casting these spells?"

"Oh, she needs a, a sacred space. A-a-a pentagram, um, large pot." Giles says

"Her home. Okay. Help me up." Xander and Willow help her up. "We'll just go to her house and we'll get her book."

"Okay, we'll go with you," Willow says

"Uh, no! You guys stay here and keep an eye on Amy." Buffy says Giles then helps hold her up

"And keep her away from the science lab. We'll need it to cast our counter-spells." He says I nod and look at them

"ill watch the lab try and keep her away from it or she might be losing her head early" I say emotionlessly everyone looks at me worried and I just walk away. I hear giles saying one last thing as I walk away

"keep her away from lela"

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GILES POV

I pull up to Amy's house and rush out of my car helping buffy out of the seat and helping her walk up to the house I knock on the door a few times then look at buffy she looks very tired and out of it. I knock again but louder this time and Mrs. Madison opens the door

"Who are you? Wha, um, uh, is there something wrong?" Mrs. Madison asks

"Mrs. Madison, we need to talk to you about your daughter," I say urgently

"I'm not allowed... You'll have to come back later." She tries to close the door but I prevent her and push my way inside

"Excuse me!"

"What?" I look at buffy ignoring Mrs. Madison

"You alright?" I say looking for a place to set her down "Um, in here." I lead her to the living room "Your daughter is meddling with something very dangerous, are you aware of that?" I ask Mrs. Madison as I sit buffy on the couch

"Uh, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I think you know only too well."

"You've got to go. She's gonna be home soon, and you..." I cut her off and pointed to buffy

"This girl is very sick." My anger becomes noticeable "Now you will shut up and you will listen to me! Your daughter has access to some very powerful magics, and somehow your obsession with cheerleading has made..." Mrs. Madison interrupts me upset

"I don't care about cheerleading! It's not my fault she's doing stuff."

"As her mother, you should assume some responsibility for her actions." She laughs

"Well, you know, these kids today! I..." she seems to calm down a bit before continuing "She's out of her mind. Ever since dad, her dad... left I can't control her."

"You're afraid of her?"

"Amy?" buffy asks Mrs. Madison and I both look at her at some point of our bickering she had gotten up "Are you, Amy?" I look back at Mrs. Madison confused

"I don't understand."

"She switched! She switched your bodies, didn't she?" Mrs. Madison or amy looks down at hearing this

"Good Lord!"

"She wanted to relive her glory days" amy looks back up and speaks

"She said I was wasting my youth. So she took it" she sat down as did I and buffy "I didn't know anything about her powers. I mean, when dad was here they would fight and yell and he would... call her a witch and... I mean, I would, just thought he meant... Oh, God, when he left I wanted to go with him. But she wouldn't even let me call. She went crazy, I mean, she'd lock herself upstairs for days, and she was always coming down on me, telling me I didn't deserve to have it so easy, and that I didn't know... how hard it was to be her, and... I guess she showed me, huh?" buffy takes her hand to help calm her down

"Amy, it's gonna be okay." She says

"A few months ago, I woke up in h... her bed! I didn't know where I was, and... then I looked in the mirror..." wait…

"She locked herself upstairs?" I ask

"Yes."

"Where?" she leads me to the attic "can you open it?" she shakes her head and I break the door down causing her to flinch we walk in and I start to look around

"Don't! If she finds out I've been here she'll kill me!" she says trying to stop me I ignore her and walk around the culdren to a rack with hanging dolls two of the dolls are bound together for the body-switching spell I take them in my hand.

"My God!" I exhale "I believe we can reverse your mother's spell. Well, all of them, in fact." I let go of the dolls

"You could? Really, you could?"

"We need to find her books. There'd be specific volumes she'd need for this kind of casting." I start to look around some more and spot a trunk walking over to it I quickly take the things off the top of it this must be where they are "Collect those dolls, and, uh, any other personal effects..." I start opening it and jump back as a black cat jumps out at me "Ah! Nice kitty..." I sigh calming down bloody cat "Let's see what you were guarding." I open the trunk again "Ah, yes!" I take out the book I need "This is it." We both gather everything else that's is needed up and head back downstairs to the living room

"Did we find?" buffy asks weekly

"We found. Come on." I help buffy off the couch she's gotten weaker

"But where are you going?" amy asks

"We're going to school." I realize buffy has gotten too weak to walk and pick her up "And you're coming with us."

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NO ONES POV

In the gym, the Sunnydale High basketball team comes through the doors and onto the court. Amy's mother is with the other cheerleaders clearly very happy to be there. Xander and Willow are in the stands, watching Amy's mother. Lelas waiting at the lab she sees giles carrying buffy and a woman following them she quickly goes over and takes buffy from Giles as he and the woman hurry in front of lela and open the door going in lela follows and clears off a table gently placing buffy down on it brushing some hair out of her face lightly

"you'll be ok…" Lela says more to herself than to buffy

"go stand guard," Giles tells lela. Lela nods and leaves the room closing the door behind her. Giles takes off his coat and speaks to buffy "I'm gonna stop this. I promise." Buffy looks up at him as He folds his coat and puts it under her head as a pillow. Her vision is blurred and she won't survive much longer. "You just hang on." Buffy can only moan in response. Giles goes to the box of books and other things amy has set on Dr. Gregory's bench and reaches in to get Amy's mother's spell book.

"How is she?" amy asks

"We only have a few minutes left," Giles replies hurrying

Back in the gym with amys mother Catherine Xander and willow. Catherine and the other Cheerleaders are cheering

"Go, Sunnydale go! Go, Sunnydale go! Go! Six, seven, eight! Go Sunnydale go! Go, Sunnydale go! Go, Sunnydale go! Go! Six, seven, eight! Go Sunnydale go! Go, Sunnydale go! Go, Sunnydale go! Go! Six, seven, eight! Go Sunnydale go! Go, Sunnydale go! Go, Sunnydale go! Go!"

Back in the science classroom amy is cutting an eye from a frog, and is very squeamish about it.

"Right! Here we go!" Giles says He starts to recite as he mixes a potion. "The center is dark. Centrum est obscurus. The darkness breathes. Tenebrae respiratis. The listener hears. Hear me!" in the gym Catherine stops chanting and looks startled. Her vision flashes to what Amy sees in the science lab, the book and the frog. After a bit, She's back in the gym and takes up the count again, but has a worried look on her face. In the lab, Giles is still chanting and amy is slightly surprised

"Oh, it's... it's working!" she says

Giles takes the book up from the table and reads. "Unlock the gate. Let the darkness shine. Cover us with holy fear." amy staggers back and covers her face. "Show me..." The lights go out in the classroom and lela looks behind her slightly getting more worried. in the gym, Some of the cheerleaders are lifting Catherine Once up she thrusts her fists into the air and gives the crowd a big smile. Her smile fades as she has another flash to the lab, where she gets a glimpse of Buffy. She comes back to the gym and begins to lose her balance. Xander and Willow watch as The cheerleaders supporting Amy struggle for control, but they collapse.

"Amy, what's your problem?" joy says angerly Catherine shoots her a dirty look and Joy is taken aback. Catherine gets up, looks around and runs from the gym. In the lab, Amy starts getting scared

"She's coming!" she says Giles looks at her worried

In the hall, Catherine violently pushes open a door but willow stops her

"Amy!" she says

"Get out of my way!" Catherine says

"W-wait! I-I-I need to talk to you, I-I can help you."

"Help me? With what?"

"Uh, well, y'know, all your witchcraft! I, I know this really good cauldron." Xander sneaks up behind Catherine "Do you actually ride a broom?" Catherine twists around, growls and holds out her hand like she's grabbing Xander's neck. His hand goes up to his throat. Catherine makes a fist and twists it. Which causes Xander to collapse to the floor choking. "Xander!" Catherine spins back around and punches Willow hard in the face, knocking her to the floor. She starts running to the lab. Back in the lab giles is holding up his arms and chanting.

"Corsheth and Gilail! The gate is closed! Receive the dark! Release the unworthy! Take of mine energy and be sated!" He plunges his hands into the mixture he's concocted.

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LELAS POV

I hear the door that comes into the hall slam open and see amy come out I growl at her don't change whatever you do don't change

"you're not getting through hear," I say to her

"move" she replies before I know it she at some point grabbed the fire ax from its case and swings it at me I grab it and wrestle with her for it she's stronger than she looks I kick her feet out from under her and yell loud enough for giles to hear me "GILES HURRY!" I throw the ax aside and try to keep my anger down I get ready to fight her but before I realize what's happened she's holding me up by the front of my shirt her face in mine

"my turn," she says my eyes widen

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NO ONES POV

Catherine throws lela threw the door causing lela to slam into the wall in the science room knocking her out. Cathrine picks the ax back up and walks in just as Giles finishes

"Release!" he yells Catherine walks straight to buffy and raises her ax "RELEEEEASE!" Giles yells once more causing Catherine to stop there's a flash of light and the spells are broken and amy and Catherine are back in their own bodies amy lowers the ax and looks around, a bit confused she steps back. Buffy gets her strength back and gets up from the table.

"Buffy?" amy asks

"Amy?" buffy asks without buffy knowing Catherine lunges at her from the side and tackles her to the floor, knocking her out. Giles advances, holding his arm out and pointing angerly.

"You... you..." Catherine growls and looks at him. She uses her powers to force him back and push a table against him, knocking him down and out. Amy just stands there watching, still holding the ax in both hands. Catherine gets up and confronts her.

"You! You little brat!" Catherine says Amy holds up the ax in defense

"Mom! Please!" Catherine holds out her hand and the ax flies from Amy's hands to hers.

"How dare you raise your hand to your mother! I gave you birth. I gave up my life so you could drag that worthless carcass around and call it living?" she swings the ax into a lab table "You've never been anything but trouble. I'm going to put you where you can't make trouble again!" buffy jumps up behind Catherine

"Guess what?" she says as Catherine turns to face her. "I feel better!" She punches Catherine, and she flies through the air, landing onto a lab table and rolls off, hitting a shelf full of bottles along the way. She quickly gets up. And so does lela dizzily she shakes her head and looks at buffy and smiles in relief that she's ok

"That body was mine! Mine!"

"Oh, grow up!" Catherine growls and holds her arm out toward Buffy and uses her powers to send her flying making her knock into Lela sending them both flying into a wall buffy gets back up craning her neck but Lela stays down. Catherine then begins to cast a spell.

"I shall look upon my enemy!" She looks up at Buffy, and her eyes have become pitch black. "I shall look upon her and the dark place will have her soul!" Buffy looks around for a way to stop her. She sees the pole holding up the mirror above her. "Corsheth, take her!" Buffy does a standing hook kick, knocking the pole out from under the mirror and letting it flop down. Catherine's spell leaps from her hands and is reflected by the mirror back at her. The spell envelops her and she screams. The energy twists around her and disappears with a roar, taking her with it. Buffy surveys the scene. To make sure everyone's ok Amy is badly shaken Giles is just coming back to consciousness on the floor and Lela who's also on the floor starts getting back up

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LELAS POV

I start getting back up rubbing the back of my head man that really hurt

"Well, that was, um, interesting," Giles says as Buffy gives him her hand and helps him up.

"You guys okay?" she asks I quickly give her my answer by hugging her tightly and she hugs back just as tight

"I thought I was going to lose you," I say hugging her tighter

"you're not getting rid of me that easily," she says Giles cuts into our hugging by speaking

"I assume the, uh, all the spells are reversed. It was my first casting, so..." he inhales and me and buffy stop hugging each other "I may have got it wrong."

"You saved my life! You were a god!"

"Well, I didn't think you'd pull it off," Amy said Suddenly Xander comes rushing in and grabs Amy tightly.

I got her! I got her! Cut her head off lela!" he yells to me

"Xander, what are you doing?" buffy asks

"Saving you?"

"Get your hands off of her."

"But she's evil."

"It wasn't exactly her," Giles says

"I was my mom," Amy adds

"Oh!" Xander says releasing her just then Willow comes running in wielding a bat.

"Where is she?!" she asks

"Uh, hey Willow! It's cool!"

"It is?"

"Yeah, I took care of it." everyone just looks at each other and I shake my head

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I yawn and get out of buffys bed and see her scooping up her smashed alarm clock

"finally up sis?" buffy asks and I nod

"mhm" she puts it into her wastebasket we both look to the door as mom comes in

"I don't get it." She says I decide to get up and walk to my room to get dressed and just let them talk when I get to my room I open my closet and get a black t-shirt my grey hoodie and jeans and put them on quickly then gathered all my school stuff up waiting by the door for buffy after a while she comes out and smiles at me

"ready?" she asks

"yup" I answer and we both leave for school

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Buffy Amy and I are walking down the hall chatting

"My dad is so impossible! He doesn't ever want me going anywhere! He wants to spend total quantity time together. And I'm like Dad, I can go out, it's perfectly safe! But he's got all this guilt about leaving me with my mom. And he's being a total pain." Amy says and I giggle

"You're loving it," I say

"Every single minute." Amy says happily "This Saturday night he wants to stay in and make brownies. Well, the brownies were my idea." Cordelia's voice suddenly comes up behind us

"Hey, I'm really sorry you guys got bumped back to alternate." She reconsiders what she says then stops in front of us smirking "Hold it, wait... No, I'm not!"

"Well, I know that I'll miss the intellectual thrill of spelling out words with my arms," Amy says

"Ooo, these grapes are sour!" buffy Amy and I stop at the trophy case while Cordelia continues down the hall

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot that you wanted to be on the squad."

"Oh, hey, that's okay. Cheerleading's just a little too hairy for me these days." Amy takes a breath

"That's for sure." Amy looks at the picture "Catherine the Great."

"And there's been no sign of her?"

"That last spell... She said I'd never make trouble again. Wherever she is I don't think we'll have to worry." We all look at the trophy

"Twisted," Buffy says then they turn starting to leave

"I'm just happy to have my body back. I'm thinking of getting fat."

"Y'know, I hear that look's in for spring." Buffy looks back at me "hey you coming" I simply shake my head

"no, I have a promise to cash up on" I answer she laughs knowing what I'm talking about and leaves with amy I suddenly hear some mumbling its really faint I turn my head to where it's coming from. It's coming from…the…tropy? I take a closer look and see that its eyes are moving I take a step away from it "so this is where your spell took you" I lean close to it glaring and the eyes stare back at me "serves you right" I say coldly then go to leave I can hear more mumbling before I get out of earshot and to be honest, I do feel slightly sorry for her. I shake my head taking my thoughts off of it and start sniffing around and smirk as I catch Xander's scent following it I turn down a few hallways and find him at a vending machine "so keeping your promise Xander?"I ask hopefully he turns around

"yup see im a man of my word" he hands me a few dollars and I smile

"thank you" I say chipperly and get my well-deserved chocolate bars this is a perfect way for my next class to start with lots of chocolatey goodness.

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hey sorry for this taking so long I lost a bit of my progress on it and had to start over also im to lazy to put disclamer again so ill put it off and on also I have a quotev that has this on there to that's pretty much it I might work on some other storys or work on next chapter not sure yet see ya


	4. Teacher's pet

TEACHER'S PET

NO ONES POV

buffys scream pierces through the bronze as a vampire closes in on her she quickly throws a solid right to his face followed by a left but the vampire isn't fazed in the least he grabs her then throws her onto a pool table he then leans in to bite her suddenly Xander comes up from behind the vampire grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him off of buffy.

"May I cut in?" Xander asks him he then bashes the vampire's head into the pool table, turns him around and punches him in the gut and then the face. The vampire immediately falls to the floor unconscious. Buffy gives him a big smile impressed. Xander offers her his hand to help her off of the pool table.

"You alright?" he asks

"Thanks to you!" buffy exhales as She slides off of the table and notices Xander's hand. "You hurt your hand! Will you still be able to..."

"...finish my solo and kiss you like you've never been kissed before?" Xander gives her a wink and walks to the stage just then the vampire gets back up and growls at Buffy. Xander sees him, breaks the leg off of a chair that's been knocked over and throws the makeshift stake at the vampire. Buffy watches the stake fly into the vampire's chest, and he falls dead. She turns her gaze back to Xander as He jumps up onto the stage and grabs his guitar to continue his solo. Buffy looks up at him adoringly and advances to the stage as he plays.

"You're drooling." Xander gives her a confused look Then wakes up

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BUFFYS POV

I look over to Xander and he's asleep drooling during Dr. Gregorys slide show

"Xander!" I quietly yell He wakes up from his daydream and shakes his head I point to the corner of my mouth to try and tell him that he's drooling but he doesn't get it I inwardly sigh "You've got a little..." He finally gets it and quickly wipes the drool off of his mouth and chin. Suddenly the lights are switched on and I rub my eyes when did the presentation end

"Now. If you read the homework you should know the two ways that ants communicate." He stops at Xander's lab table and I breath out slightly relieved he isn't going to ask me anything. He starts leaning on it and looks at me "Miss Summers." Crap I nurveisally come up with an answer

"Ways that ants communicate."

"Mm," he says nodding his head

"With other ants."

"From the homework." He says slightly annoyed damn I should have done my homework like lela kept telling me to do I look around some and see willow waving her arm slightly "Ants are communicating..." he starts I look at willows signs

"Um, uh, uh..." I start watching willow closer as she starts stroking Xander's back "Touch..." I say unsure

"Mm-hm." He says nodding

"And, um..." I look at willow again and she starts…sniffing him? I look at her confused "B.O.?" I accidently say out loud. Several students start laughing at what I said and willow just gives me a disappointed look

"Thank God someone finally found the courage to mention that!" blayne says with a slight laugh in his voice

"That would be touch and smell, Miss Summers. Is there anything else Miss Rosenberg would like to tell you?" dr. Gregory says crap he knew I look back at willow and she quickly turns away in her seat. Just as I start to think im screwed the bell rings and Dr. Gregory starts to move back to the front of the class. "Alright, chapters six through eight by tomorrow, people." I quickly get up and start to leave "Can I see you for a moment?" damn still screwed I just nod and walk over to him as everyone else leaves. I lean against the lab table as dr. Gregory idly reviews his slides. "I gather you had a few problems at your last school?"

"Well, what teenager doesn't?"

"Cut school, get in fights, burn down the gymnasium... Principal Flutie showed me your permanent record as well as your sisters you two are quite the team." He walks to the front of the class and I follow him

"Well, that fire, I mean, there was major extenuating circumstances. Actually, it's, uh, kinda funny! We uh"

"Can't wait to see what you're gonna do here" He goes to the closet and gets his other glasses from his coat and cleans them I try not to show that I'm upset I wish Lela was still in this class so she could be here with me to help me feel better

"Destructo Girl. That's me."

"But I suspect it's gonna be great." Great?

"You mean, great in a bad way?" Dr. Gregory looks at me then back at his glasses

"You have a first- rate mind and you can think on your feet. Imagine what you could accomplish if you actually did the..."

"...the homework thing." I really should have listened to lela

"The homework thing. I understand you probably have a good excuse for not doing it." he closes the closet and walks back to his lab table "Amazingly enough, I don't care. I know you can excel in this class, and so I expect no less. Is that clear?"

"Yeah! Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, be smart." He looks at another slide and continues "And please don't listen to the principal or anyone else's negative opinion about you or your sister. Let's make 'em eat that permanent record. Whaddaya say?" He looks up at me and gives me a little smile I quickly smile back.

"Okay! Thanks." He nods his head and I grab my bag

"Chapters six through eight!" I look back at him with a smile and leave the classroom I can't believe it I really can't believe it he believes in me and Lela she will love to hear this! I rush to meet Xander and willow with a slight skip in my step

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NO ONES POV

After buffy leaves, Dr. Gregory puts the slide down, goes over to turn off the lights and comes back to his slide-viewing plate. While he concentrates on the slides, the closet door opens. He doesn't notice Slowly A large, green claw goes around his neck. Dr. Gregory looks up behind him and screams. The claw drags him off of his chair and His glasses hit the floor breaking, an instant later there's a crunching noise coming from where he was dragged off

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTin The Bronze The live band Superfine is playing. Xander dances lamely through the crowd and looking around. He makes his way to the stage and gives the singer an acknowledging nod and grin. The singer gives him a get outta here look. And concentrates on singing again Xander is disappointed and moves away from the stage. He goes over to the bar where Blayne and his friend are sitting.

"Seven, including Cheryl. I'll tell you, though, her sister was lookin' to make it eight!" Blayne says

"Ooh, Cheryl's sister? The one in college?" his friend asks

Blayne nods "Home for the holidays and lookin' for love! She's not my type, though. Girls really gotta have something to go with me."

Xander interrupts "Something like a lobotomy?" The two boys look at him.

"Xander. How many times you score?"

"Well, uh..."

"It's just a question," Blayne smirks

"Are we talking today or the whole week?" The two boys snicker. Xander soon spots Buffy and Willow coming down the stairs. "Ooo! Duty calls!" He leaves the bar and approaches the girls as Blayne and his friend watch. "Babes!" buffy and willow look at Xander as He comes up to them with his arms wide open and grabs them both around the shoulders.

"What are you doing?" buffy asks

"Work with me here. Blayne had the nerve to question my manliness. I'm just gonna give him a visual."

Willow throws her arms around him tightly "We'll show him!" Xander looks back at Blayne, gives him a thumbs up and puts his arm back around Willow. The two boys seem impressed.

"I don't believe it," Buffy says shocked seeing angel

"I know, and after all my conquests." Xander says in reply to buffy thinking she was talking to him she moves out from under his arm and goes over to angel "Who's that?"

"That must be Angel! I think?" willow answers

"That weird guy that warned her about all the vampires?"

"That's him, I'll bet you."

"Well, he's buff! She never said anything about him being buff!"

"You think he's buff?"

"He's a very attractive man! How come that never came up?" Xander says a little jokingly but jealously

Buffy comes up to angel

"Well! Look who's here!" she says

"Hi." Angel answers

"I'd say it's nice to see you, but then we both know that's a big fib."

"I won't be long."

"No, you'll just give me a cryptic warning about some exciting new catastrophe, and then disappear into the night. Right?" buffy says a little upset with him

"You're cold."

"you can take it." Angel takes off his jacket

"I mean, you look cold." He puts it around her shoulders.

Back where willow and Xander are standing watching Xander seems slightly annoyed and even more jealous

"Oh, right! Give her your jacket. It's a balmy night, no one needs to be trading clothing out there!" Xander says

Buffy looks at her shoulders where the jacket is hanging

"A little big on me." Buffy says she looks up and notices a series of cuts on Angel's arm "What happened?"

"I didn't pay attention." Angel answers

"To somebody with a big fork?"

"He's coming."

"The Fork Guy?"

"Don't let him corner you. Don't give him a moment's mercy. He'll rip your throat out."

"Okay, I'll give you improved marks for that one. Ripping a throat out, it's a strong visual, it's not cryptic!"

"I have to go," Angel says as he leaves

"Sweet dreams to you, too," Buffy says stairing at him as he leaves her sight

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LELAS POV

I look up from my book on buffys bed and look over at her window smelling her sent she's finally home I smile to myself and start counting down "10…9…8" I hear the front door open and close "…7…6…5…4…" I then hear her footsteps coming up the stairs then down the hall "…3…2…1…hi buffy" right as I say that the door opens to a laughing buffy

"of course you would be on my bed and ready for me" buffy says I smile at her and scoot over marking the place in my book and setting it on the floor

"so jackets from mr. Guy?"

"how did you" she starts then stops and shakes her head "his scent right?" I nod hehe after all these years she's still caught off guard sometimes

"yup so how was it at the bronze" buffy sits next to me on the bed

"another message from cryptic guy told me to be careful because of some fork guy" I look at her raising an eyebrow giggling some

"fork guy?"

"know right but he seems like a big dead" I giggle a little more then nod

"we better keep an eye out" she nods "how was school" Buffy smiles

"ok, so I was called to stay after class by Dr. Gregory, you remember him right" I nod " ok so he called me because of my well homework" I shake my head

"told ya to do it sis"

"I know I know but we talked a bit well he talked I nodded and talked slightly but he actually believes in me and doesn't care about my record he doesn't care about yours either" I smile wide at this a teacher who finally isn't judging buffy by her record and he barely even knows me since I wasn't in his class for that long because I got transferred to art but still he doesn't care about mine either this is so amazing

"that's amazing news!" she nods happily and laughs slightly

"so you sleeping in here tonight" I smile more

"well if you insist"

"ok" she smiles back and changes getting into bed "night"

"Night Buffy" I roll on my side as she turns off the lamp

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Buffy Giles and I are walking along in front of the school I stare at Giles as he is eating an apple I quickly wipe my mouth noticing I'm drooling I should have eaten before we left

"That's all he said? Fork Guy?" Giles says I shake my head oh man how long was I zoned out

"That's all Cryptic Guy said, Fork Guy," Buffy answers him

"I think there are too many guys in your life." We keep walking till we meet willow at a bench "I'll see what I can find out." He looks up at the sky and I look up as well "God, every day here is the same."

"Bright, sunny, beautiful, however, can we escape this torment?" I look back down and to buffy

"I'm sure he's just saying some rain would be nice and I agree with him it's always calming to hear the rain drops hitting the roof" I say and giles nods in agreement I look over to willow and she gives buffy and I a smile I smile back and buffy sets her bag down and sits next to her just a few seconds pass before Xander comes up behind Giles just as he turns to leave.

"Good morning," Giles says to Xander

"Mornin'" he replies then looks at us "Guess what I just heard in the office? No Dr. Gregory today. Ergo, those of us who blew off our science homework aren't as dumb as we look." He reaches down and flips Willow's book closed. She ends up having to stop it from sliding off her lap because of that

"What happened, is he sick?" buffy asks worriedly

"They didn't say anything about sick, something about missing." Missing?

"He's missing?" buffy asks reading my thoughts

"Well, let me think. Um, the cheerleaders were modeling their new short skirts, that kinda got... Yeah! Yeah, they said missing." Willow Buffy and I exchange a look. "Which is bad?"

"If something's wrong, yeah!" I walk over to her and rub her back some to try and comfort her a little

"He's one of the only teachers that doesn't care about buffys records," I tell Xander

"I'm really sorry, I'm sure he'll..." Xander trails off as he looks up and sees an honestly pretty good looking woman walking towards him "I, uh, huh...Uh, huh... huh..." She stops in front of Xander, who just stares at her.

"Could you help me?" she asks

"uuuuuhhhhhh... Yes!" Willow Buffy and I give each other an amused looks.

"I'm looking for Science... 109." Oh this must be buffys substitute teacher

"Oh! It's, um..." He looks around himself, trying to remember the way. He turns back to her and smiles "I go there every day!" the substitute laughs and Xander looks at us for help "Oh, God, where is it?" we all look at each other again and decide not to help just shrugging out of nowhere a guy appears behind the substitute and introduces himself.

"Hi! Blayne Mall. I'm going there right now. It's not far from the varsity field where I took All-City last year." He says smiling smugly oh this must be the perverted sexaholic Xander and buffy told me about

"Oh! Thank you, Blayne!" the sub says as she a mr. perv leave Xander's gaze follows them for a moment, and then he turns back to us

"It's funny how the Earth never opens up and swallows you when you want it to." He says willow and buffy nod their heads smiling and I just tilt mine to the side in confusion

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BUFFYS POV

As willow Xander and I walk into class we see the woman from earlier writing her name on the board Natalie so that's her name as I look down my heart stops for a second on the ground is dr. gregorys glasses I walk over to them and pick them up off of the floor there broken but why would he…

"What's wrong?" willow asks interrupting my thoughts

"Dr. Gregory dropped his glasses... Why wouldn't he pick them up?" I answer as I walk over to his lab table and set them down carefully before I head back to my seat I give a quick glance to Natalie then sit down

"My name is Natalie French, and I will be substituting for Dr. Gregory."

"Do you know when he's coming back?" I ask

"No, I don't, um," she checks the roster "Buffy. They just call and tell me where they want me."

"I'll tell you where I want you," Blayne says in a low voice I internally gag

"Excuse me, Blayne?" she asks

"Uh, I was just wondering if you were gonna pick up where Dr. Gregory left off." Natalie smiles

"Yes. His notes tell me you were right in the middle of insect life." She picks up a mantis mounted in a clear plastic box. "The praying mantis is a fascinating creature. Forced to live alone. Who can tell me why? Buffy?" She puts the mantis back down

"Well, the words bug-ugly kinda spring to mind," I answer There's lots of muffled laughter but Natalie looks a little pissed

"There is nothing ugly about these unique creatures. The reason they live alone is because they're cannibals!"

"Eww!" Everyone in class looks as disgusted as I am

"Oh, well, it's hardly their fault! It's the way nature designed them noble, solitary and prolific. Over 1800 species worldwide, and in nearly all of them the female is larger and more aggressive than the male."

"Nothing wrong with an aggressive female," Blayne says to me I just give him a look that says fuck off Natalie picks up her notebook and starts to walk around the room.

"The California Mantis lays her eggs, and then finds a mate..." She looks at Xander and He stares back. "...to fertilize them. Once he's played his part, she covers the eggs in a protective sack and attaches it to a leaf or twig out of danger. Now, if she's done her job correctly, in a few months she'll have several hundred offspring." She has made her way back to the front of the class and puts down her notebook. "You know, we should make some model egg sacks for the science fair. Who would like to help me do that after school?" All the boys raise their hands and I just roll my eyes "Good!" she says pleased

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All four of us move through the lunch line finally getting some food man I regret not eating breakfast

"Hot dog surprise. Be still, my heart." Buffy says

"Call me old-fashioned, I don't want any more surprises in my hot dogs." Willow adds I look at her then focus on the scent of the hotdogs

"its ok willow there just regular hot dogs I think they were too lazy to even put anything else in the bun" I tell her as I take a hotdog she smiles and nods taking one trusting my nose

"I wonder what she sees in me? It's probably the quiet good looks coupled with a certain smoky magnetism." Xander starts again Willow just raises her eyebrows at him. She turns to Buffy and they smile. And I just stare at him shaking my head

"smoky magnetism uh-huh yeah sure" I say getting annoyed with his rambling about the subject again that or I'm just getting pissy because I'm hungry I turn my attention back to the food grabbing a few more things and sneaking another hot dog hiding it under some other food

"Miss French You three are probably a little young to understand what an older woman would see in a younger man." I just shake my head

"Oh, I understand," Buffy says

"Good!"

"The younger man is too dumb to wonder why an older woman can't find someone her own age, and too desperate to care about the surgical improvements!" as I sneak a third hot dog I nod my head towards Xander as a way of saying yup exactly

"What surgical improvements?"

"Well, he is young," Willow says

"And so terribly innocent!" buffy adds

"and quite despite by the looks of things" I pitch in as I point my hotdog at him

"Hey, those that can, do. Those that can't laugh at those who... can do." Xander says just as I was hoping this conversation has ended Blayne comes up next to Xander, getting lots of food. I just stare at him wide-eyed how is it he is getting away with putting so much food on his plate with the lunch lady's watching I always have to sneak it and hope I don't get caught this is so unfair!

"Gotta carb up for my one-on-one with Miss French today. When's yours? Oh, right, tomorrow. You came in second, I came in first. Guess that's what they call natural selection." He says as he leaves and I just stare in the direction he went disgusted

"Guess it's what they call a rehearsal!" he looks at us "Rehearsal..." he laughs lamely at that note I turn my stair at him

"um no I think that's what you call thoroughly disgusted" I say as I finally hide the third poor abused tossed around hotdog into my pants pocket for further abuse and in the future consumption. I look over in buffys and willows direction and see buffy getting us all utensils. As she walks back Cordelia comes in through the exit and bumps into her.

"Excuse you!" Cordelia says as She goes behind the counter, showing a piece of paper to the cafeteria workers. I just growl slightly in annoyance "Medically prescribed lunch. My doctor ships it daily... I'll only be here as long as I can hold my breath." I shake my head pampered little rich girl I jump up as a scream hits my ears I drop my tray having to cover my ears at what I can only guess is Cordelia's high pitched scream damn it that hurt my ears! I notice Buffy and Willow running to see what's wrong and I quickly follow suit. When we get there were greeted by a not to happy sight a body with no head in a white lab coat

"His head! His head! Oh, my God, where's his head?!" Cordelia screams Xander comes in shortly after and I look at buffy to see her stareing in what I think is disbelief. I look at everyone else xanders looking away and willow looks squeamish I look back at the body and notice a name tag I take a closer look and my heart stops it says Dr. Gregory, I look over at buffy and it looks like she's about to cry I gently wrap an arm around her shoulder and slowly get her to move away from the body

"come on buffy" I say softly she slowly walks with me but I'm mostly keeping her up and guiding her away and to the library it looks like she's in a bit of shock I just keep slowly walking her there. Half way there she breaks down crying I pull her closer to me to try and comfort her but at the same time keep her walking but it's no use she stops in her tracks using me completely as her support I decide to pick her up and carry her the rest of the way I use my back to push open the door and walk in sitting on the stairs holding her I hate that she had to see that I hate that she's crying I gently rub her back and look around slightly I guess Giles isn't here about fifteen minute have gone by since we got here buffy seems to have calmed down some and is just laying her head on my lap I gently stroke her hair trying to help her more a few more minutes pass before giles willow and Xander walk in Giles looks at us with a sorry expression then heads to his office willow takes a seat beside me and buffy on the stairs and Xander just stays standing up willow looks at me with a sad and worried expression and i return it with one equally as sad and worried she then lays her head on my shoulder to get comfort I just let her and keep stroking buffys hair in the silence though it's soon broken when my ears catch the sound of water running then turning off shortly after Giles emerges from his back room with a cup of water He brings it over to Buffy and hands it to her

"Here. Drink this." Buffy takes the glass slowly

"No, thank you. She says sitting up and leaning against the railing taking a sip absent mindedly

"I've never seen..." Giles looks at Xander. "I mean, I've never seen anything like... That was new." Xander says I really don't think this is the best time to be talking about it but I can't stop them

"Who would wanna hurt Dr. Gregory?" willow asks lifting her head off my shoulder I kinda miss the feeling of her head there now…

"Uh, he didn't have any enemies on the staff that I'm aware of. He was a civilized man. I liked him." Giles says

"So did I," buffy says sadly I look at her and gently rub her back

"Well, we're gonna find out who did this. We'll find them and we'll stop them." Willow says looking up at Giles

"Count on it."

"What do we know?" Giles asks

"Oh, not a lot, um..." buffy sniffles and wipes a tear from her nose "He was killed here on campus. I'm guessing the last day we saw him."

"How do you work that out?"

"He didn't change his clothing."

"This is a question that no one particularly wants to hear, but... where did they put his head?" Xander asks

"Good point. I didn't wanna hear that." Willow says

"Angel!" buffy says as she quickly gets up "He warned me that something was coming." She takes another sip of water as she walks over to the table.

"Yes. Yes he did, didn't he? I wish I knew what he meant. I've been trying to gather more information about the Master, our, uh, local vampire king. There was one oblique reference to a, a, a vampire who displeased the Master and cut his hand off in penance." Giles says

"Cut off his hand and replaced it with a fork?"

"I don't know what he replaced it with."

"So, why would he come after a teacher?" Xander asks

"I'm not certain he did. There was an incident two nights ago..." He walks over to the counter, picks up a newspaper and returns with it. "...uh, involving a homeless person in Weatherly Park. He was practically shredded, but, uh, nothing like Dr. Gregory."

"Fork Guy doesn't do heads," Buffy says looking at the paper

"Not historically."

"And Dr. Gregory's blood wasn't drained."

"So there's something else out there? Besides Silverwareman? Oh, this is fun, we're on monster island." Xander says not too happy

"We're on a Hellmouth. It's a center of mystical convergence. Guess it's the same thing." Buffy says walking towards Xander

"Well, unpleasant things do gravitate here, it's true, but, uh, we don't know if there's anything besides this chap. He's still our likely suspect." Giles states

"Where was that guy killed? Weatherly Park?"

"Buffy." Giles walks towards her "I know you're upset, but, uh, this is no time to go hunting, not until we know more. Please promise me you won't do anything rash?"

"Cross my heart." She says I sigh inwardly I know where this is going

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Buffy and I wait in her room for it to become dark buffys flipping through a magazine and I'm reading my book every now and again taking a sip of my soda I got back when we had to fight amys mom its quiet until a rumbling catches our ears I sigh marking a place in my book and take out the hot dog in my pocket and buffy just stairs at it

"you murdered it" she says trying to act horrified and serious I just look at the pretty much flat bun with squished and partly broken up hotdog I'm so glad they put plastic wrap over these or else my pocket would of had pieces of meat and bun everywhere inside of it

"yea I should of warned him that death was imminent" I joke as I pull off the wrapping and start eating it Buffy smiles and giggles some then continues looking through her magazine after I finish my hotdog and read three more chapters of my book night comes and we head to the park where the paper says the last sighting was buffy seems pretty determined to catch mr. forkistine. we approach a fence and she jumps it I follow suit right after she lands

"buffy are you sure we should be doing this?" I ask as I land and we start walking through the park again

"yes I'm sure he's the only suspect we have and I am not letting him get away"

"I know buffy but Giles said nothing reckless"

"your here with me so technically this isn't reckless what would be is if I went alone" I open my mouth to say something but I stop when a guy stops in front if us

"Shouldn't be out here at night, little ladys. Dangerous." He says then leaves he must have been drinking because I could smell the alcohol on his breath. buffy spys another homeless man on a bench and speed walks over to him checking him out

"He's okay, just asleep." She says then continues stalking I cover my nose as an unpleasant and familiar scent fills it

"buffy I smell.." I started but she finished my sentence as she moves some shrubbery that was covering a sewer access hole.

"sewer" She moves it aside, and Fork Guy jumps out at her I quickly move her out of the way as he swings his claw missing. Buffy then slams her arm straight into his gut, then again into his back. He swings again, but Buffy dodges him. She backhand punches him in the face, does a roundhouse kick to his jaw and backhand punches his face again. He tries to take another swing at Buffy, but she evades it and front kicks him. He lunges at her, and I take this as my chance to attack I grab his arm and flip him over onto his back placing my foot on him keeping him still as Buffy tries to stake him, but he rolls away and back onto his feet causing me to fall on my ass in the process. As I get up buffy kicks him in the gut causing him to stagger backwards and fall we're about to attack him again but I stop when I catch a scent many scents coming this way people and dogs I quickly tug on buffys arm

"buffy we have to go!" I say she looks at me hesitantly but makes up her mind fairly soon when she starts to hear the voices and see flash light rays coming over the hill

"Hold it! Police!" one of the voices says

"Did you see that?" a second asks

"I got nothing here!" a third comments Buffy looks back and forth between Fork Guy and the police. he takes his chance and runs off. "I heard it."

"Spread out."

"Let's go over here."

"This way, this way. "

Buffy and I high tail it the same way forky did we catch up with him just as he hops the fence on the other side is a woman holding groceries she smells just like the substitute from this morning buffy and I reach the fence as he sneaks up on her suddenly the sub stops and turns to face him like she knew he was there fork guy hisses and runs away in fear and the sub simply watches him go unphased I can't believe what I'm seeing and I'm guessing neither can buffy I watch as forky runs across the street lifts a manhole cover and jumps down the substitute just continues walking and buffy and I just stare at her in disbelief

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"You two went hunting last night," Giles says to us upset

"Yes." Buffy answers and I simply nod He starts to walk into his office and we follow behind him.

"When you assured me you wouldn't." he takes a sip from his mug

"Yes, I lied, I'm a bad person, let's move on." He sighs and opens his file cabinet

"Did you see someone with a fork?"

"more like a giant claw like wolverine only without the hand" I answer and he looks at me clueless when I talk about wolverine

"Oh. Well, uh, at least you're both unharmed."

"And we saw something else. Something much more interesting than your average run-of-the-mill killer vampire." Buffy says

"Oh?"

"Do you know Miss French, the teacher that's subbing for Dr. Gregory?" Giles smiles

"Yes. Yes, she's lovely. In a, a common, extremely well-proportioned way." He says putting some files away you won't think that for long giles

"Well, were chasing Claw Guy last night, and Miss Well Proportioned is heading home. The Claw Guy takes one look at her and runs screaming for cover." Giles looks at us confused

"He what? Ran away?"

"He was petrified."

"Of Miss French?" he says in disbelief

"Uh, huh! So I'm an undead monster that can shave with my hand... How many things am I afraid of?"

"Not many. And not substitute teachers, as a rule."

"So what's her deal?"

"I think perhaps it would be a good idea if we kept an eye on her."

"Then I better get to class." Buffy says as she leaves giles and I share a glance

"still think she's lovely?" I smile joking he looks away embarrassed and just keeps messing around with his files

"don't you have a class to go to?" he asks and I jump up

"oh crap ya thanks" I say having completely forgotten I grab my things quickly and head out fast since buffy and I have our classes close to each other I decide to catch up with her

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BUFFYS POV

Oh man, I'm so gonna be late I think to myself as I speed walk to my class

"buffy wait up!" lela? I stop and turn around to see her somewhat jogging over

"what's up?" I ask her

"Giles reminded me about my class and since our classes are near each other I thought I'd tag along," she says looking at me hopefully I smile to her

"yeah sure" she smiles bigger and we both start walking to our classes but were stopped shortly after by Principal Flutie.

"You two were there. You saw Dr. Gregory, didn't you?" he asks

"Um, you mean yesterday in the cafeteria when we found him..." Mr. Flutie interrupts me

"Don't say dead! Or decapitated, or decomposing, I'd stay away from D-words altogether. But you both witnessed the event, so this way, please." He starts walking down the hall but Lela and I stop him short

"Well, no, I'm gonna be late for biology..."

"and ill be late for art," Lela says upset she really likes art class I think she likes it more than biology

"Extremely late!" Mr. Flutie replies and starts down the hall again "You two have to see a counselor. Everyone who saw the body has to see a crisis counselor."

"But we really don't need..." Mr. Flutie interrupts me again

"We all need help with our feelings. Otherwise, we bottle them up, and before you know it, powerful laxatives are involved."

"laxatives?" Lela repeated

"yes, laxatives now I really believe if we all reach out to one another we can beat this thing. I'm always here if you need a hug" he jumps back "but not a real hug! Because there's no touching, this school is sensitive to wrong touching."

"But, we really, really don't..." I start but get stopped again

"No, you have to talk to a counselor and start the healing. You have to heal."

"But Mr. Flutie, I..."

"Heal!" he says and we both quickly sit down after he walks away Lela looks at me

"we couldn't have come out when his heavy laxatives were working?" I smile a little at her half joke then sigh when I hear Cordelia inside the counselor's room

"I don't know what to say, it was really, I mean, one minute you're in your normal life, and then who's in the fridge? It really gets to you, a thing like that. It was... let's just say I haven't been able to eat a thing since yesterday. I think I lost, like, seven and a half ounces? Way swifter than that so-called diet that quack put me on. Oh, I'm not saying that we should kill a teacher every day just so I can lose weight, I'm just saying when tragedy strikes, we have to look on the bright side. You know?" I sigh at what Cordelia saying this is going to be a while I can already tell

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After I finally get out of there I walk to my class and look in the window

"Oh, great, a pop quiz." There's no way I'm going in there right now I just watch through the window at everyone but my eyes widen and I quickly roll away from the window when I see Natalie suddenly straighten up and turn her fucking head around 180 degrees. Ok nope. Nope! I'm done! I rush back to the library and sit down

"buffy what are you doing in here shouldn't you be in class?" I hear giles ask I look back at him

"I'll tell you when every ones here as for now I'm so done with that class" I answer and he just looks at me confused

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"she looked over her shoulder?" willow asks and I shake my head fast

"No, I'm not saying she craned her neck. We are talking full-on Exorcist twist." I answer

"Ouch!"

"Which reminds me, how come Blayne, who worked with her one-on- one yesterday, isn't here today?"

"Inquiring minds wanna know."

"Any luck?" I ask giles and Lela as willow sits down in front of the PC and begins a search.

"um, I've not found any creature as yet that strikes terror in a vampire's heart." Giles answers

"Try looking under things that can turn their heads all the way around."

"Nothing human can do that." Lela looks up at that

"you know I have a few books on various insects at home and I remember reading of one that could do that with their heads but I don't know if there are any bug demons and I can't remember what kind of bug it was" lela says

"Whatever she is, I'm gonna be ready for her," I say getting up and turning hopping up the stairs to the stacks.

"What are you going to do?" Giles asks and I turn around to look at him

"My homework." I answer and walk into the stacks Lela had our best lead I need to look for a bug that can rotate its head and takes the head of other things I wonder around for a minute then rush back out "giles lela wheres the books on bugs?"

"oh uh there um this way," Giles says as he walks up the stairs to show me

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NO ONES POV

In buffys science classroom, Natalie is at the desk spreading butter on a slice of bread. She's about to open a plastic container when she hears Xander come in. she looks up at him.

"Hi! Natalie" he says nurvically

"Oh, Hi! I was just grabbing a snack. Can I fix you something?" Natalie offers

"No thanks, I never... eat when I'm making egg sacks." He sees the model "Wow if this were real the bugs would be..."

"...as big as you!" she says finishing his sentence

"Yeah! So! Where do we start?"

"Oh, Xander! I've done something really stupid. I hope you can forgive me."

"Oh, forgiveness is my middle name! Well, actually it's LaVelle, and I'd appreciate it if you guard that secret with your life." Xander laughs some and so does Natalie

"I have a teacher's conference in half an hour, and I left the paint and papier-mache' at home. I don't suppose you'd like to come to my place tonight to work on it there?" Xander nurvisally swallows

"Come to, uh... your place?" He flashes to his guitar solo from his dream for a moment.

"7:30? Here's my address." She writes it down and Xander watches not believing his luck hes so surprised that he almost doesn't notice that Natalie is handing him the paper with her address "I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah! " Xander answers excitedly and quickly walks out of the classroom fist pumping the air "Ooh, yes!" meanwhile inside the classroom Natalie waits stairing at the door making sure he's gone and opens the container as She turns it upside down to dump the contents out some live crickets jump out while the other fall onto the bread she folds the bread in half so that no more escape and lifts it up to her mouth taking a bite it makes a crunching sound in her mouth as she chews smiling.

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BUFFYS POV

I flip through the pages of what must be the third bug book I've looked threw lady bug nope dragonfly nope butterfly nope I sigh and flip again preying mantis I read and look at the pictures bingo! This has to be the bug Lela was talking about! I hurry out of the stacks with the book.

"Dig this," I say loud enough for everyone to hear "The praying mantis can rotate its head 180 degrees while waiting for its next meal to walk by" I slam the book shut "Ha!" I look around and everyone is quiet the only noise is lela closing and putting down her book "Well, c'mon, guys. Ha!"

"Well, Miss French is sort of big. For a bug?" willow says

"And she is large and woman shaped," Giles adds and lela just stays quiet I sigh annoyed and make my way down to them

"Okay. Factoid 1: Only the praying mantis can rotate its head like that. Factoid 2: A pretty whacked-out vampire is scared to death of her. Factoid 3: Her fashion sense screams predator. Factoid 4: Lela gave us our only lead and this is it"

"It's the shoulder pads," Willow says

"Exactly," I say and look at lela for some support but she's just shaking her heads I think it's because we are talking about clothes

"If you're right, then she'd have to" Giles starts but lela interrupts him

"she would have to be a shapeshifter or a perception distorter or maybe like a siren one minute she's hot the next she's a monster," she says flipping through a book to try and find something

"wait I had a chum at Oxford, Carlyle, advanced degrees in entomology mythology," Giles says

"Entomawho?" I ask and lela pipes in not taking her eyes off the book flipping through it fast

"it's the study of bugs"

"I knew that," I say trying to act smart.

"If I recall correctly, poor old Carlyle, just before he went mad, claimed there was some beast..." Giles starts before we all hear the PC beep and willow speak up

"Buffy, 911! Blayne's mom called the school. He never came home last night."

"The boy who worked with Miss French yesterday?"

"Yeah! If Miss French is responsible for..." willow starts but stops herself starting to panic "Xander's supposed to be helping her right now! He's got a crush on a giant insect!"

"Okay, don't panic, I'll warn him. But I need you to hack into the coroner's office for me." I tell her

"Well, what are we looking for?"

"Autopsy on Dr. Gregory. I've been trying to figures out these marks that I saw on his corpse... I'm thinking they were teeth. And, uh, these cuddlies?" I open the book back up and flip to the page of the mantis pointing at the mantis "Should definitely be brushing after every meal." Willow starts typing and I look at giles "And you were saying something about a beast?" I ask him

"Oh, uh, yeah, I just need to make one transatlantic telephone call." He says as he walks to his office but stops and turns back "Um, this computer invasion that Willow's performing on the coroner's office, one, one assumes it is entirely legal?" Willow and I answer simultaneously.

"Entirely!" she says

"Of course!" I say

"Right. Wasn't here, didn't see it, couldn't have stopped you." Giles says and I just nod

"Good idea." I say to him as he retreats into his office I look over to lela and she's still furiously flipping through pages she's starting to look serially annoyed "what are you looking for sis" she doesn't look up

"I've read a lot of mythology and I remember there being some about mantises some people are extremely afraid of them the only problem is I can't fucking find the damn thing" she says flipping faster I decide not to ask her to come because when she can't find what she needs she tends to wig out badly I just head out without saying anything else as I walk out I can hear a scream of annoyance that is clearly from my sister and a bang on the table that's more than likely from her slamming her head onto it I quickly start looking for Xander not wanting to be around when she starts to wig out more

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NO ONES POV

Buffy finally catches up with Xander outside

"Hey!" buffy says

"Hey!" Xander replies

"So, how'd it go with Miss French?"

"Well, it's a bit demanding being her absolute favorite guy in the universe, but I'll muddle through."

"Xander, she's not what she seems."

"I know, she's so much more."

"Okay, um... I'm gonna have to tell you something about her, and I'm gonna need you to really listen, okay?" buffy says slightly desperate

"Okay."

"I don't think she's human."

"I see. So if she's not human she's..."

"Technically? A big bug." Xander laughs. "This sounds really weird, I'm aware of that but Lela had a lead and I looked it up and..." Xander stops her

"It doesn't sound weird at all, I completely understand." He says. Buffy looks at him slightly confused but relieved "I've met someone, and you're jealous."

"What?" she says her relief melting away into annoyance

"Look, there's nothing I can do about it. Uh, there's just this certain chemical thing between Miss French and me."

"I know, I read all about it, it's call, um, a pheromone. It's a chemical attractant that insects give off." Buffy says fast getting desperate Xander gets angry about this and slightly snaps

"She's not an insect! She's a woman, okay? And hard as that may be for you to conceive, an actual woman finds me attractive. I realize it's no mystery guy handing out leather jackets, and while we're on the subject, what kind of a girlie name is Angel anyway?" he finishes

"What does that have to do with..." Xander cuts buffy off snapping again

"Nothing! It just kinda bugs me. Look, I really gotta..." he starts but walks off. Buffy turns and watches him go.

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XANDERS POV

I type in Natalie's address onto a computer at a internet cafe that lets you use the computers with a purchase I take a sip of my drink and get them to print out the directions for me I finish my drink fast and leave following the directions to her house I get there just as it turns to night and ring the door bell "ok play it cool play it.." I stop as the door opens to a very sexy Natalie I try not to stare at her boobs but damn that dress makes them damn!

"hi! Come on in!" I fail and stare at her boobs as I walk in "Should I change? Is, is this too..." she asks as she closes the door I shake my head fast

"No, no, it's, the most beautiful chest... dress I've ever seen." She smiles and goes back into the living room and I follow her she sits down on the sofa holding some kind of drink

"Thank you. That's sweet. Martini?" she offers me the one in her hand "Oh, I'm sorry, would you like something else?" I quickly take the drink sitting by her she starts to laugh "I just need to relax a little, I'm kinda nervous around you. though You're probably cool as a cucumber!"

"I like cucumbers. Like in that Greek salad thing with the yogurt. Do you like Greek food? I'm exempting Schwarma, of course, I mean, what's that all about? It's a big meat hive." Damn it why do I have to be so nurvise I sound like an idiot I look at my drink and down it fast hoping it will help me calm down "Hhhhhhho! Hello!" I say suddenly feeling really weird

"Cheers!" Natalie says clinking the glasses "Can I ask you a personal question?" she asks as She puts her glass down and gets closer "Have you ever been with a woman before?"

"You mean, like, in, uh, the same room?" I say nurvise

"You know what I mean."

"Oh, that, uh... Well, let me think. Um..." Natalie runs her fingers through my hair and around my ear. Ah fuck this is making me even more nurvise "Yeah, there was, uh... several!" She continues and strokes down to my chin. I gulp "I mean, and, uh, quite a few times... And then there was, uh... Oh, she was incredibly... No. Uh-uh." I say giving up

"I know. I can tell." She says and I look at her fast surprised

"You can?"

"Oh, I like it. You might say, I...need it."

"Oh! Well, needs should, uh, y'know... Needs should definitely be met, as long as it doesn't require ointments the next day, or..."I start saying trying to sound cool but I stop when I start hearing Muffled yelling that's weird "Do you hear..."

"No..."

"Sounds like someone crying..."

"I don't hear anything," Natalie says taking my hand is it just the martini that's causing me to hear this am I already drunk?

"Your hands are so hot!" I say as my mind flashes back to my dream. With buffy holding my hand worried I lean back on the couch "Buffy. I love Buffy. Wow! So that's a martini, huh?"

"Mm-hm." I sit back up when I hear the muffled yelling again

"Do you hear..." I start but Natalie cuts me off

"Would you like to touch me with those hands?" Natalie says catching me off guard I look down at her hands feeling sick and loopy

"Your hands are sss... really..." her hands morph into what I think are claws oh man I'm gonna puke "serrated! Oh, wow, that martini, I... I really think I have to..." I fall over and everything turns black

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTToh man my head is swirling that's the last martini I ever will have I slowly open my eyes and look around im in a…cage? I grab the bars and pull myself up. I look around more and off to the side, there's a giant mantis? It's messing with something….is this...

"Miss...French?" I slowly ask not really wanting an answer

"please, call me Natalie." It says turning to look at me I quickly back away into the cage. Oh shit buffy was right all of a sudden I catch something reaching at me from the corner of my eye and jump back

"Ah!" I take a close look its... "Blayne?!" he looks at me terrified

"Oh, God! Oh, God!" he repeats

"Are you all right?"

"Oh, God!" he repeats again taking a breath "You gotta get me outta here! You gotta! She, she, she gets you, and, uh..."

"What?"

"...she, she..."

"What does she do?" I ask again

"Oh, God! Oh, oh, no!"

"Blayne! What does she do?" I yell getting annoyed

"She, she... she, she takes you outta the cage, and she ties you up, and, and... she... she starts movin', and throbbin' and these eggs come shootin' out of her! And then..."

"What?"

"And then..." damn it Blayne

"Then what?" I ask as calmly as I can

"She mates with you!"

"Sheeee..." I'm at a loss for words

"That's not the worst part!" he continues

"That's not?"

"You seen her teeth? Right while she's, you know, right in the middle of... I saw her do it! I don't wanna die like that!" he starts freaking out again

"Blayne! Blayne! Chill! It's okay. It's gonna be okay. We'll get outta this." I say trying to calm him and honestly at this point myself down

"You gotta plan? What is it?" he asks hopefully

"Just, uh, let me perfect it!"

"Oh, God... Oh, God... Oh, God..." he says giving up hope I sigh and pace around thinking for a few minutes, if I get out now im probably dead, is there anything I can use to stun her or knock her out with or something umm uhh I look around nothing just nothing I kick one of the bars separating blaynes cage from mine in frustration and the bar moves some it's loose this will work if I can just… I bend down and start tugging at it

"Don't do anything to make her mad!" Blayne says scared after a few more shakes and tugs I finally manage to pull it out, Blayne looks happy and quickly moves into my cage "Hey, alright, now I can get outta my cage" he starts then looks bummed out and confused "and Into yours, what'd you do that for?" he asks annoyed and I just roll my eyes

"A weapon!"

"I think you're gonna need it." I look up when he says that and see Natalie coming I drop the bar quickly startled and we both back up more sliding down the wall scared She starts looking back and forth between us "Oh, God! Uh, he did that, he broke the cage, take him, not me, take him!" blayne says I look at him glaring you fucking idiot I look back at Natalie as she keeps looking back and forth at us pointing at us with one of her massive claws

"What's she doing?" I ask

"I think it's" Blayne starts then slows down speaking in time with her movements "eeny, meany, miny..." her claw stops at me

"Moe?" I say terrified that means im….Natalie opens the cage door and motions for me to come out I slowly slide on my butt towards the door and slowly grab the bar I dropped so she doesn't notice she starts motioning for me again "I'm comin', I'm comin'." I say hiding the bar behind my back getting out and standing up slowly ok its now or never! I quickly swing the bar as hard and as fast as I can hitting Natalie She staggers and I take this as my chance and run like hell up the stairs im about half way up when I feel Natalie's claws grab me and pull me back downstairs my head hits one of the stairs hard and I pass out when I come back to im tied to a chair and Natalie in right in my face.

"Oh, yeah, here it comes!" I can hear blayne say

"What? What's happening?!" I ask panicking

"How do you like your eggs, bro, over easy or sunny side up?"

"Eggs? She's gonna lay some..." my question is answered immediately when I see her starting to lay some massive eggs I flash back to class when she gave the lecture The California Mantis lays her eggs, and then finds a mate to fertilize them. I just stair scared ohhh shit….. TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

LELAS POV

I lean back into my chair completely giving up on finding the myths on the mantis and just listen to Giles as he yells over the phone

"Frankly, madam, I haven't the faintest idea what time it is, nor do I care. Now, unlock his cell, unstrap him, and bring him to the telephone immediately. This is a matter of life and death!" Willows' voice draws my attention away from Giles conversation

"Got it! Coroner's report, complete with... Yuk! ...color pictures." I get up and walk over to willow and look at her screen

"cool" I say simply

"There are teeth marks." Buffy says pointing at them "Which match perfectly to the one insect that nips off its prey's head."

"Okay, I-I don't like this," Willow says scared

"Huh! It's the way they feed, head first. It's also the way they mate. The female bites off the male's head while they're..." buffy reads ignoring willow

"No, no, no! See? Xander, I like his head! I-it's where you find his eyes, and his hair, and his adorable smile..." I rub her back trying to calm her down

"Hey, hey, take it easy, Willow. Xander is not in any immediate danger. I saw him leave school. He's probably safe at home right now." Willow seems to of calmed down some and we all continue researching I make my way to the stacks and grab a book on praying mantises and walk back to them handing buffy the book she opens it and buffy and I start reading through it after a few minutes I decide to listen in on Giles convocation again

"I-I understand, Carlyle. Yes... I-I'll take every precaution. Uh, absolutely, i-i-it sounds exactly like the creature you described. Y-you were right all along about everything. Well, n-no, you weren't right about your mother coming back as a Pekinese, but... uh... Try to rest, old man. Yes... Ta! Bye now!" He hangs up and comes out of his office. Well damn I missed a lot of the convo Giles walks to us and buffy looks at him

"anything?" she asks Giles nods

"Dr. Ferris Carlyle spent years transcribing a lost pre-Germanic language. What he discovered he kept to himself until several teenage boys were murdered in the Cotswolds. Then he went hunting for it."

"It being..."

"Uh, he calls her a She-Mantis. This type of creature, the Kleptes-Virgo, or, or virgin-thief, appears in, in many cultures. The Greek sirens, the Celtic sea maidens, who, who tore the living flesh from the bones of, um..." Giles pauses

"so I was right with the mythology?" I asked and he nods

"yes you were spot on and especially when you tried to find the legends about the she-mantis even when you uh lost it when you couldn't locate it" I smile at his praise then blush embarrassed because of my freak out when I couldn't find the myths

"Giles, while we're young!" buffy asks getting us back on track

"Uh yes sorry well, basically the, uh, the She-Mantis assumes the form of a beautiful woman and then lures innocent virgins back to her nest."

"Virgins?" buffy and I both say at the same time

"Well, Xander's not a, uh... I mean, he's probably..." buffy says and willow gets up worried

"...gonna die!" willow finished buffys sentence as she goes to the phone making a call

"Okay, okay," buffy says as she walks around Giles worried "so this thing is breeding and we need to find it and snuff it." She faces giles "Any tips on the snuffing part?"

"Uh, Carlyle recommends cleaving all body parts with a sharp blade." Giles answers

"Slice and Dice."

"Well, whatever you do, it had better be certain and swift. This beast is extremely dangerous And quite larger than its human form Lela I suggest when we see her you shift" I nod

"got it," I say to him

"Well, your buddy Carlyle faced it, and he's still around," Buffy says

"Yes, in a straitjacket, howling his innards out day and night," Giles replies

"Okay, Admiral, way to inspire the troops!"

"Sorry..." Willow walks to us even more panicked

"Xander's not home! He told his mom he was going to his teacher's house to work on a science project. He didn't tell her where." Willow says

"See if you can get her address off the substitute rolls." Buffy says then turns to Giles "And you need to record bat sonar, and fast!"

"Bat sonar, right. What?" Giles says I run over to his table and grab a recorder that he usually uses to record reminders

"Bats eat them." She leads him to the stairs and I run over to where they are "The mantis hears sonar, its entire nervous system goes kaplooey."

"Where am I gonna find the..." buffy cuts him off

"In the vid library? There're no books, but it's dark and musty, you'll feel right at home, go!" she exhales "Lela and I will handle the armory" buffy walks into the gated area and I hand giles the recorder

"just pop it in and play it then record it like you normally do when you make reminders and a little warning things aren't really organized back there" I tell him then head to where buffy is helping her gather things up I grab a machete and buffy grabs a few cans of bug spray we put what we gathered into a black duffle back she goes to zip it up but I stop her putting some rope into it she looks at me confused

"we could use it to try and hold her down" I tell her

"good idea" she says zipping the bag and walking out I follow close behind her

"Getting the address," Willow says grabbing the paper with the directions from the printer

"Great! Giles?" buffy says Giles holds up the tape recorder

"Recording bat sonar is something soothingly akin to having one's teeth drilled," Giles states buffy takes the recorder

"Let's roll!" we all head for the door.

"According to Miss French's personnel records, she was born in 1907. She's, like, 90 years old!" willow says

"And extremely well preserved!" Giles adds

"I don't care how well preserved she is she's going down," buffy says

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT Giles pulls up to Miss French's house we all get out and run to the door.

"What now, exactly? We can't just kick the door down." Giles says

"Yeah, that would be wrong," Buffy says as she gets ready to kick the door down but the door opens to reveal An old lady

"Hello, dear! I thought I heard... Are you selling something? Because I'd like to help you out, but... You see, I'm on a fixed income." She says sweetly

"I'm looking for Miss French," Buffy says confused

"I'm Miss French." The sweet lady answers

"Natalie French, the substitute biology teacher?" she laughs

"goodness, that's me! I taught for over thirty years. I retired in 1972."

"She used Miss French's records to get into the school," I say putting two and two together

Bite me! She could be anywhere!" buffy says

"No, dear! I'm right here!" miss French says confused everyone starts walking away and I look at her and smile softly

"I'm sorry but we just noticed how late it was we all have a meeting to attend to im very sorry" she smiles sweetly

"its ok dear stay safe" she says

"we will" I reply she closes the door and I catch up with the others as they stop at the car she's a really sweet woman

"What do we do now?" willow asks

"Abject prayer and supplication would spring to mind." Giles answers

"Lela and I saw her walking past this park with her grocery bags. She lives in this neighborhood." Buffy says

"I'm gonna start banging on doors." Willow starts to head to a house but buffy stops her

"Wait, no, we do not have time for that!"

"We have to do something!"

"We will." Wait if this is the same place we saw Natalie then that means…I look at buffy

"buffy remember fork guy?" her face lights up

"good thinking" she grabs the rope from the bag

"I won't be long." She says as she walks to the manhole and jumps in

"W... Buffy?" Giles calls then walks off to where she jumped followed by willow and I we all wait there for a while

"Come on, Buffy!" willow says getting worried

"Lela what is she even doing down there," Giles asks me

"finding a friend of ours that can help" I answer him I can hear struggling in the hole from fork guy once the struggling stops she whistles for me and I help her bring him and herself up out of the manhole His arms are tied behind his back and he doesn't look too happy to see me or buffy

"You!" he says angerly

"us!" She says shoving him down the street obvisally not wanting to deal with his shit. Buffy pushes fork Guy down the sidewalk in front of her and Giles Willow and I follow.

"Come on! Come on, where is she? Which house is it? I know you're afraid of her, I saw you! Come on!" buffy says fighting with him suddenly he starts trying to stop but she keeps pushing him

"Come on. What? What is it? This is her, isn't it, this is her house? This is it! Better than radar!" she says as he starts struggling even more She lets go of him and he cuts the ropes with his blades

"Buffy!" willow warns her I don't make a move to attack because I know she was already ready for him He swings at her but she leans back then rips a picket from the fence and steaks him with it .

"come on," she says giles nods at me

"Lela," he says

"on it" I answer before I shift everyone goes in through a window and I go in through the front door since I can't fit through the window I break open the door easily and walk in sniffing around my ears perk when I hear Xander yelling for help I run down to a door and break it down running down the stairs half way I look down and at the bottom of the basement is Xander tied up with a giant preying mantis over him and I see willow buffy and giles already down there

"Let him go!" buffy yells she sets the bag down and pulls two cans of insect spray out of the bag and sprays Natalie in the face. Giles runs to the cage to open it and I jump down the side of the stairway and run over to buffy to help leaving giles with a whining scared Blayne. buffy pulls out the tape recorder and machete from her bag. And I hold off Natalie snapping and swinging at her with my claws making sure she keeps her distance Natalie starts retreating to the back of her nest and I let Buffy close in on her knowing she needs closure

"Remember Dr. Gregory? You scarfed his head. Yeah, well, he taught me, you do your homework, you learn stuff. Like what happens to your nervous system when you hear this!" She plays the tape and were both terrified to hear giles voice play instead of the sonar

"it's…extremely important to file not simply alphabetically..." buffy stops the type

"Giles!" she yells

"I-it's the wrong side!" he yells to her getting Xander and Blayne free while were all distracted Natalie knocks the tape recorder and machete from Buffy's hands buffy and I turn our attention back to Natalie she tries to trip Buffy, but she jumps over her claw. I make my way behind Natalie and Xander comes up next to buffy with a can of bug spray and sprays it into Natalie's face Buffy quickly pushes him away from danger just as Natalie swings her claw knocking buffy back and down before she can do anything else I jump on her and dig my claws into her skin biting down hard onto her neck she flails around trying to get me off but I just dig my claws in deeper and bite down harder suddenly a high pitched sound plays and Natalie starts screatching loudly I let go jumping off this must be the sonaur I head to Giles who is holding the recorder while buffy heads over to Natalie with the machete

"Bat sonar makes your whole nervous system go to hell. You can go there with it." Buffy says raising the machete above her head and lowers it back down over and over hacking away at it everyone just looks down and I step beside willow to make it where she won't see what's happening she looks at me some grateful after a while buffy finally stops and we all look at the pile of pieces that used to be Natalie

"I'd say it's deceased," Giles says

"And dissected," Willow adds

"You okay?" Xander asks buffy

"Yeah." Buffy answers

"Just for the record, you were right, I was an idiot and God bless you." Xander says and buffy smiles at him "And thank you guys, too." He says to the rest of us

"Yeah. Really." Blayne says which surprises me I start standing on all fours to try and convince blayne that im just a pet wolf or something so that he wouldn't ask questions

"Pleasure," Giles responds

"I'm really glad you're okay. It's so unfair how she only went after virgins…" willow says

"What…?" Xander asks

"I mean here you guys are, doing the right thing the smart thing when a lot of other boys your age" I just look at blayne and laugh which pretty much are just grunts

"what are you laughing at dog" I growl some at least he thinks I'm a pet "and Big flag on that play, babe. I am no"

"Cat's out of the bag, lads. It's part of the She-Mantis M.O." Giles says smirking and I just laugh again nice one giles

"Isn't this the perfect ending to a wonderful day," Xander says

"My dad's a lawyer anybody repeats this to anybody, they're gonna find themselves facing a lawsuit." Blayne threatens

"Blayne shut up," Xander says and he does as he's told

"I don't think it's bad at all. I think it's really" willow starts but quickly changes what she's saying and steps back when Xander picks up the machete "sweet. But certainly nothing I'll ever bring up again" Xander moves past her and hacks at the egg sacks attached to the rafters, destroying them.

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BUFFYS POV

I stand by the bar in the bronze hoping to catch angel I smile some when I see him walking out from the crowd a small smile playing on his lips

"I heard a rumor there was one less vampire walking around making a nuisance of himself." He says

"There is. Thanks for the tip." I say to him

"Pleasure's mine."

"Of course, it would make things easier if I knew how to get in touch with you."

"I'll be around.

"Or who you where…" he just smiles

"Well, anyway, you can have your jacket back."

"Looks better on you." He says running his hand along the collar for a moment then leaves I watch him for a moment and sigh

"Oh, boy…"

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NO ONES POV

In the deceased Dr. Gregorys classroom, his glasses lie on the teacher's desk where buffy left them. Xander, Willow, Blayne, and Buffy listen to the new teacher as he explains the midterm

"All mid-term papers will be exactly six pages long no more, no less. One-third of your grade will be dependent on those papers no more, no less…" he finishes just as the bell rings buffy gets up and walks to dr. gregorys desk as everyone else leaves she carefully picks up his glasses and looks at them sadly missing dr. Gregory even more than she already did she gently wipes them off and walks to his closet opening it she then slides them into his lab coat pocket which hasn't been removed yet. She stairs for a few moments then closes the door and quietly leaves

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Hey sorry about the extremely late update had to get back into the groove of writing then I forgot that lela was in dr. Gregory's class so I had to change up a few things and some other stuff. I also will be writing other storys I don't know when but some will be with soul eater: oc x Tsubaki, rwby: oc x yang, Inuyasha: unknown at the moment, tails from the borderlands: oc x Fiona, harry potter: oc X Hermione, the legend of kora: oc x kora, beauty and the beast oc x female beast, Kim possible: oc x Kim, the last of us: oc x Ellie, steven universe: oc x amethyst, aladin and hunchback of Notre dame crossover: Esmerelda x jasmine, Tarzan and pochones crossover: Tarzan x pochohones, Tarzan horror story. That's a few of the story ideas that I have and the match ups yep lotsa girl on girl don't judge and with the last of us one I might wait till the new game comes out to even be thinking about that one so I know how to write the first one so the second one can hopefully fit together nice if that makes any sense plus I gotta replay the game anyway so theres the ideas so far and yea see yall next update


	5. Never kill a boy on the first date

Never kill a boy on the first date

LELAS POV

I sit on a tomb stone in the cemetery watching Buffy as she fights a vampire She kicks him in the face with a high roundhouse kick, forcing him to step backward to keep his balance. He starts backing up to close to where I'm sitting so I push him slightly back foward with my foot once he regains his posture he glares at me

"Your next" he says obvisally pissed and I just shrug and give a smirk which pisses him off even more but I don't care he will be dust soon after a bit he turns his attention back to Buffy And attacks doing a jumping half twisting crescent kick, which Buffy ducks. He tries two punches, and Buffy neatly blocks them. On his third punch she grabs hold of his arm and hits him in the face with a high front snap kick. Letting go of the vampire's arm, Buffy punches him squarely in the midsection and follows up with a swinging punch to his face, sending him to the ground.

"We haven't been properly introduced." Buffy's says pulling out a stake "I'm Buffy, and you're history!" She then plunges the stake into him as he gets up. He falls and bursts into ashes I clap and smile at the performances

"nice job Buffy" she smiles but shortly after I say it Giles pops out from behind the tomb stone where I'm sitting

"Poor technique." He states as he comes around to her "Prioritizing sub par... Execution was adequate, but a bit too bloody for my taste." giles says annoying Buffy and I

"Giles, don't mention it. It was my 'pleasure' to make the world safe for humanity again. While you hide behind the tomb stone with Lela protecting you" Buffy says score one for Buffy

"that's not what i mean I'm not saying that your methods are without merit, it's, uh, y- you're spending too much time and energy. It should simply be: plunge, and move on. Plunge and... Hello." He stops what he's saying and bends over to pick up a ring with his pen

"Oh, that's great! I kill 'em, you fence their stuff." Buffy says half joking and Giles just gives her a look "What is it?"

"I don't know."

"But it bothers you."

"Yes! Well, I... I thought this vampire was just on a random kill, but it may be something else."

"Something big?"

"Yes. I'd best consult my books."

"Hear we go again" I say

"yup" Buffy answers as I hop down from the stone

" hey Giles after you look at it think I could keep it?" Giles looks at me

"W-what n-no this isn't something you can keep it belonged to some sort o-of order of vampires wearing it will likely make you a target of the other members"

"Huh why?"

"They would probably want the ring back" Buffy says I pout but nod and smile

"Ok good point" I say as Giles heads home and Buffy and I look for more vamps

"Why do you want almost everything we find off them anyway?" Buffy asks

"I just think most of the items are cool little oddities" I answer

"Ohh you always did like collecting weird things" I laugh and nod at her comment as a yep

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NO ONES POV

The master slams a book down on the podium, opens it and reads.

"And there will be a time of crisis, of worlds hanging in the balance. And in this time shall come the Anointed, the Master's great warrior. And the Slayer and her guardian will not know him, will not stop him, and he will lead them into Hell.' As it is written, so shall it be." He picks up the book and walks "Five will die, and from their ashes the Anointed shall rise. The Brethren of Aurelius shall greet him and usher him to his immortal destiny.'" He stops by one of the brethren "As it is written, so shall it be. 'And one of the brethren shall go out hunting the night before and get himself killed, because he couldn't wait to finish his job before he ate.' Oh, wait." He grabs one of the brethren by the throat "That's not written anywhere." he lifts the vampire from his feet "The Anointed will be my greatest weapon against the Slayer and guardian! If you fail to bring him to me, if you allow those girls to stop you..." He throws the vampire into a coffin "Here endeth the lesson." He slams the book shut and walks away

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BUFFYS POV

I sigh as I sit on the table in the library looking at the ring we got last night.

"That symbol on the ring... I believe it's the rune for fidelity, but, uh, it doesn't connect with any of the sects that I've studied." Giles says as I look up at him

"What about this?" I ask as I show him the ring "On the inside. It's a sun and three stars. Haven't we seen that somewhere?"

"Let me see." Giles says as he takes the ring and looks at it closely and I just start looking through a book to find it "No, I-I don't think this, um, represents any..." I cut him off finding it

"Wait, it's right here. Sun and three stars. Yuch, check these guys out." I hand Giles the open book "Told you it looked familiar."

"Oh, the Order of Aurelius. Yes, you're right."

"Ooo, two points for the Slayer, while the Watcher has yet to score!" I say happily. I look towards the door as it opens and Owen comes in and approaches us oh god it's Owen ok be cool be cool "Oh!" I slide off the table "Owen! Hi!" I say smiling wide but I mentally smack myself that wasn't cool at all!

"What do you want?" Giles says looking up at Owen

"A book?" He says confused

"Oh!" Giles says suddenly seeming to remember that this is a library after all I take this moment to remind him further

"See, this is a school, and we have students, and they check out books, and then they learn things." Giles gives me a look

"I was beginning to suspect that was a myth."

"I lost my Emily Dickinson. It's dumb, but I like her around. Kind of a security blanket." Owen says

"I have something like that. Well, it's an actual blanket. Uh, and I don't really carry it around anym-more... So! Emily Dickens, huh? She's great!" I say quickly trying to cover up what I just said oh god I'm glad Lela isn't here

"Dickinson."

"She's good also." I got it wrong?! What's wrong with me be cool god this is Owen!

"Poetry." Giles says pointing at the stacks

"I didn't think I'd find you here." Owen says as he goes up the stairs and I follow him

"W... Why not?" I ask worried

"I, I didn't mean... I mean... I think you can read." He says trying to correct himself

"Thanks." I say slightly sarcastically

"But you don't seem bookwormy." He grabs the book he was looking for and looks at the cover "The type of person to lock themselves in a dark room with a lotta musty old books." He looks back up at me "Oh, and I've offended you." He says worried

"No! No, I'm just surprised you gave any thought to what I'm like."

"You shouldn't be." He starts walking back down and I follow close behind

"Oh, well, I *love* books. I mean, I really *love* books." I notice Owen look over at the book we were looking at earlier on the table and he heads over there to take a look.

"What's this?" He asks and I quickly get between him and it

"Not this one." I say quickly

"This one she doesn't love." Giles says quickly moving the book behind the desk He then walks around Me and takes Owen's book and heads to the checkout station. "Oh, Emily Dickinson." Giles says

"We're both fans." I pipe in

"Yes, uh, she's quite a good poet, I mean for a..." He takes Owen's library card and I finish for him a little annoyed

"A girl?"

"For an American." He corrects me and scans the book as well as the library card

"I'll, uh, see you in math... if I open my eyes at some point." Owen says as he takes the card and book from Giles

"Cool..." I answer trying not to blush as Owen leaves.

"The Order of Aurelius is a very old and venerated sect. If they're here, it's for a good reason." Giles starts but I ignore him

"That was Owen!"

"Yes, I remember."

"Do you have any more copies of Emily Dickinson? I need one." I ask hastily and desperately

"Buffy, while the mere fact of you wanting to check out a book would be grounds for a national holiday, I think we should focus on the problem at hand." Giles says shocked

"Right. I'm sorry, you're right. Vampires." I look down at my dress "Oh." I look back at Giles "does this outfit make me look fat?" I ask worried earning an annoyed look from Giles and if Lela was here probably her to along with some groaning and snickering

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Willow and I pay for our lunch as we talk

"Owen Thurman was talking to you?" Willow asks exited

"It's all true." I say happily and proudly

"Wow! He hardly talks to anyone. He's solitary, mysterious... He can brood for forty minutes straight, I've clocked him."

"He was so nice, it was eerie." I say picking up a banana

"What did you guys have to talk about?"

"Emily Dickinson." I answer as we head for our table with Lela and Xander already there

"He reads Emily Dickinson? He's sensitive, yet manly!" Willow stops as We sit down then continues "Well, wait, you've never even read her." I pull out an extra copy Giles had that had took countless minutes convincing him to give me "You Vixen!"

"Has anybody given any thought to what this green stuff is?" Xander asks holding up his fork which actually makes me look at my food for the first time

"Hmm, I'm avoiding the subject." I answer giving the food on my plate a discussed glare

"I think it's kale, or possibly string cheese." Lela moves a little closer to it and smells it

"it's kale but I wouldn't eat it" she says

"poisoned?" Xander asks serially

"Went bad like a week ago so you could say that" Xander puts the fork down and it stands straight up makeing him frown

"at lest we have your nose to avoid food poisoning" he says thankful she stopped him she just nods and starts drinking her milk "So, Buffy, how'd the slaying go last night?"

Lela and I give him a stern look

"Xander!" I say in a whisper shout

"I mean, how'd the 'laying' go?" I glare at him more but it's a bit more horrified than angry "No, I don't mean that either." He finishes just as Lela spits out her milk from laughing Xander looks glad it didn't land on him but I kind of wish it did but I decide to answer before he says something else

"It went fine, thank you. There's some new hoidy-toidy vampire sect in town."

"That's bad." Willow asks

"Well, hey, they're bringing in the much needed tourist dollars." Xander says "Ooo, look at Mr. Excitement." I turn around to see who he's talking about and my heart jumps

"Owen! He's all alone! Maybe somebody should sit with him." I say suggestively

"Mm, just to be polite!" Willow says playing along and I get up "Good luck!" Just before I get to leave Lela swipes my banana and I just give her a confused look

"You were subpost to meet me after class this is your punishment" she answers and I just nod slightly rushing to Owens table

"Look, an empty seat!" I here Cordelia say just as my trey spills

"Ooo! Ew..."

"Let me get that." Owen says as he bends down helping me pick up the spilled food trey

"Thanks! Boy! Cordelia's hips are wider than I thought!" I joke

"Eh, heh!" Cordelia says sarcastically

"At least you don't have to eat your Soylent Green." Owen jokes

"Owen, a bunch of us are loitering at the Bronze tonight. You there?" Cordelia says trying to get Owens attention

"Who's all going?"

"Well, um, I'm gonna be there."

"Who else?" Owen answers and I try to hold back a smirk

"You mean besides me?" Cordelia says a little annoyed

"Buffy, what about you?" Owen asks shocking me

"What?" I answered still in shock

"No, no, no! She, uh, she doesn't like fun." Cordelia says

"How 'bout we meet there at eight?" Owen states ignoring her

"Yeah! Eight! There!" I answer quickly as I put my tray on top of Cordelia's.

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LELAS POV

I groan standing outside of class Buffy was subpost to meet me so we could go to lunch together I hate going alone. I look at my watch and sigh

"maybe Xander hasn't gone yet" I say to myself and walk to his class and thank god he's there "hey Xander!" I half yell waving at him he sees me and smiles walking over

"Hey" he responds as he reaches me

"Walk with me to the cafeteria Buffy bailed"

"Ah my lady needs a knight to guid her to lunch" he jokes holding out his arm I play along and lock mine with his

"Why yes good knight I do indeed" we both chuckle and walk to the cafeteria grabbing our food I try not to cover my nose though while we are in line god something reaks do they ever check the expiration date on this shit as we get to the end I follow Xander quickly to our table and sit down

"So what's up" he asks trying to make conversation as we wait for Buffy and willow

"what's up is holding my breath" I answer I can still smell that god awful rotting scent I look up at Xander and see that he's just stairing at his greens I'm about to ask what's wrong but willow and Buffy finally arrive talking and I didn't want to Interrupt when they finally finish Xander holds up his fork with the greens.

"Has anybody given any thought to what this green stuff is?" Xander asks and Buffy looks down at her trey

"Hmm, I'm avoiding the subject." She answers glaring at it

"I think it's kale, or possibly string cheese." I move a little forwards and take in its scent and try as hard as I can not to gag that! That is what I was smelling!

"it's kale but I wouldn't eat it" I answer discussed

"poisoned?" Xander asks serially

"Went bad like a week ago so you could say that" at that Xander puts the fork down and it stands strait up makeing him frown

"at lest we have your nose to avoid food poisoning" he says thankful I stopped him from eating it i just nod and start drinking my milk "So, Buffy, how'd the slaying go last night?" I give him a stern look from behind my milk that says quiet down and Buffy whisper shouts at him

"Xander!"

"I mean, how'd the 'laying' go?" What! What! Oh god what! I try to hold in my laugh "No, I don't mean that either." He finishes just as I fail and spit out my milk missing Xander with it. He just looks back and forth from me to the milk that shot across the table he seems relived it didn't hit him I would say sorry but I'm laughing to much to say anything right now

"It went fine, thank you. There's some new hoidy-toidy vampire sect in town." Buffy answers him

"That's bad." Willow asks

"Well, hey, they're bringing in the much needed tourist dollars." Xander says "Ooo, look at Mr. Excitement." Buffy turns around and sees who Xander is talking about but I just ignore what their looking at as I try to calm down

"Owen! He's all alone! Maybe somebody should sit with him." I here Buffy say suggestively

"Mm, just to be polite! Good luck!" Willow says playing along and As she gets up I quickly calm down and swipe her banana. She just gives me a confused look

"You were subpost to meet me after class this is your punishment" I say to her and she just nods and leaves

" what just happened" Xander asks confused I just shrug and peal the banana "hey what about your brave knites share" Xander asks and I look at my banana sadly well...it's only right I break it in half and hand the other half to him "thank you" he says as we both start eatting it

"So did you collect anything this time" willow asks me and I just shake my head

"I was going to take a ring we got off a vamp but Giles said no"

"Why"

"Worried I would be a target if I had it" I answer finishing my food willow just nods in response right as the bell rings we all get up and dump our treys. Willow and I head to meet up with Buffy in the hall and Xander heads to his next class

"Willow Lela you won't believe what just happened" Buffy says as we meet her

"What? what happened?!" Willow asks exited

"Owen just asked me out!" I just groan as we start walking to the library ignoring their convo. When we finally go through the doors of the library I tune back in

"It's not that big a deal. It's just a bunch of people getting together." Buffy says to Willow damn their still talking about it?

"It's a very big deal!"

"It's not!"

"It is" Willow spots Giles "Tell her!"

"I'm afraid it's very big." Giles answers seeming to have cough some of their conversation

"Thank you!" Willow says smiling then turns back to Giles confused "Wait! What are you talking about?"

"What are *you* talking about?" Giles asks confused

"Boys!" Willow and Buffy say at the same time and I just shake my head groaning and Giles seems like he wants to do the same

"Yes, well, I'm talking about trouble. A violent and disturbing prophecy is about to be fulfilled." Oh great

"The Order of Aurelius."

"You were spot on about the connection." He walks over to the table "I've looked at the writings of Aurelius himself, and he, he prophesied that the brethren of his order would come to the Master and bring him the Anointed."

"Who's that?" Willow asks as I just listen closely

"Well, I-I don't know exactly, a-a-a-a warrior, but, but it says he will rise from the ashes of the Five on the evening of the thousandth day after the Advent of Septus."

"Well, we'll be ready whenever it is." Buffy says

"Which is tonight."

"Tonight, okay..." Buffy says but her eyes widen "Not okay! It can't be tonight!"

"My calculations are precise." Oh no don't tell me the date was today

"Nuh! They're bad calculations! Bad!"

"Buffy has a really important date." Willow says yep it was today I sigh inwardly

"Owen!" Buffy says in a whine

"Alright, I-I'll just jump in my time machine, go back to the twelfth century and ask the vampires to postpone their ancient prophecy for a few days while you take in dinner and a show." Giles says

"Okay, at this point you're abusing sarcasm. Why can't you just take Lela" wait a second why me why am I always the escape goat

"Buffy, I need both of you this is no ordinary vampire. But we have to stop him before he reaches the Master."

"But... Cute guy! Teenager! Post-pubescent fantasies!" I hold in a laugh and Buffy glares

"Those will just have to be put on hold! The dark forces are aligning against us, and we have a chance to beat them back. Tonight we go into battle!"

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Giles, Buffy and I have been sitting on a large grave stone waiting for what seems like hours now. Sighing I sip more of my drink bored

"Perhaps I miscalculated." Giles sniffs

"I'm thinking yes." Buffy answers sucking her drink dry

"want some of mine?" I offer

"nah I'm good" she answers and I just shrug and drink

"Well, you know what they say. 90% of the vampire slaying game is, is waiting." Giles says

"You couldn't have told me that 90% ago?" Buffy retorts and I have to agree with her some it's been a really long boring time waiting here

"Well, we, we've certainly waited here long enough." Giles says as he gets up huh guess he finally got bored

"Besides, there aren't any fresh graves. Who's gonna rise?" Buffy says

"Apparently no one tonight." Buffy jumps up

"Then I can bail? I can go to the Bronze and find Owen?"

"Oh, very well then. Follow your hormones if you want. But I assume I don't have to warn you about the hazards of becoming personally involved with someone who's unaware of your unique condition."

"Yeah, yeah, I read the back of the box."

"If either of your identities are revealed it could put you two and all those around you in grave danger."

"Well, in that case I won't wear my button that says, 'I'm the Slayer, she's the guardian ask me how!" She answers sarcastically gaining a look from Giles "Good night." She says as she leaves

"'Five shall die, and from their ashes the Anointed shall rise.' I was sure it was tonight."

"maybe it was some where else?" I ask Giles sighs

"perhaps but I have no idea where and Buffy" he cleans his glasses which he usally does to take his mind off something when he's stressed or annoyed. I just nod and look down shaking my drink hmmm...

"...want to go and grab something to eat" I ask looking at him he looks back at me and pauses for a second then puts his glasses on and casually answers

"alright" I hop down at his answer and we both start walking away to eat I must admit I had a slight bounce in my step I mean come on food and a chance to hang out with Giles out of research mode how can I not be a little happy

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NO ONES POV

A night bus drives in silence. It's a slightly uncomfortable silence it gets more uncomfortable as a man named Collin starts to speak to a younge boy named Andrew

"I went on an airplane. A pale horse emerged with death as its rider. You will be judged. You will be judged."

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After Buffy had left the grave yard she headed to where Owen and her was subpost to meet she rushes into the bronze and looks around for Owen. After a while of surching Buffy sees Owen and smiles but as she walks a bit further she's crushed by what she sees. Owen is dancing with Cordelia. She looks down and heads out of the bronze heading home

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Back on the bus Andrew has gotten up and stands in the aisle. Preaching

"That day's gonna bring fire. Fire comin' down! Judgment!" He speaks to Collin and his mom "Don't think you're ready, ready to look upon him. If there's sin in there, there's sin all around. It's a liquid. On that day there won't be anybody tellin' us what to do or why we're doin' it. You can't prepare. On that day..." The driver cuts Andrew off

"Hey, you gotta sit down. Okay?"

"Are you willing to stand with the righteous?" Outside One of the brethren steps in front of the bus. The driver hits the brakes and slams into the vampire. The van begins to swerve, runs through a sign and hits a pole, which brings it to a stop. The driver looks back at the passengers

"Is everyone okay?" The passengers look at each other. They all seem shaken but okay. The driver gets out to check the victim.

"Are you all right?" He kneels down beside him "Can you move?" The vampire grabs him by the throat and begins choking him. Another one punches through a window, grabs Andrew by the throat, pulls him out and bites him. The vampires all climb into the bus to get the people there screams hured by no one but the vampires and other victims

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LELAS POV

Giles and I sit down at a special burger place my mom buffy and I usually go to and look at the menu

"I-i still don't see why you wanted to eat at this" he looks around slightly discussted "establishment" he finishes and I look up from my menu

"I was in the mood for a burger and this is the only place in town that actually has decent ones and is actually open this late" he just shakes his head and reads his menu and I look back at mine as I read I see a fry challenge that I never got to try it has you eat a massive basket of fries fit for an army in under 20 minutes but it always took two people and mom and Buffy always refused thinking we would lose and we would have to pay I don't blame them fully because it's 40 dollars but if you win you get your next ten meals free and I say that's worth it. I start eyeing Giles maybe he would do it with me after all he did have us wait for hours and almost have us die of boredom "hey Giles can you do this challange with me"

"What challange" he asks confused I show him the fry challange and he looks horrified "absolutely not I'm not spending forty dollars on frys and besides we came here for a meal not this" he motions to the challange not knowing what to say "game" I pout and think of what to say then it hits me on what to do guilt trip him

"Well you did have us sit out there for hours and you don't have to pay when we win plus it's free food after" I say

"Now Lela that's not fair"

"Oh come on Giles you know me I'm an eatting mashine I could do this Blind folded pleaseeee" he sighs and gives in obvisally not wanting to argue about it he calls out for a waitress and tells her she gives us a shocked look more than likely thinking we can't do it because we both are pretty thin but that's where being a werewolf comes in handy it gives me a high metabolism an extremely high one I could eat it all and not really gain any weight hell I would still want something after. She opens her mouth like she was going to object but closes it and takes our order then leaves "thank you Giles" i say trying to cheer him up he just sighs. A couple minutes pass and the waitress comes out carrying a basket of fries with both hands when she sets it down it takes up most the table and makes Giles eyes fly wide open at the shear amount of fries in front of him before he can change his mind the waitress starts the timer and sets it down

"Lela I don't see how we can possibly" he starts but I interrupt

"We can trust meee" I say in a slight whine then start to eat and so does Giles after about 10 minutes Giles taps out and I finish the fries causing everyone in the dinner including Giles and the waitress to look at me shocked

"We have a champion" the waitress says and takes our picture then hands me a coupon for the free meals "congratulations I'm sure your dads suprized" she finishes as she walks to the wall on the other side of the dinner to put up our photo Giles looks at her about to correct her but stops when she walks away I just look at the empty basket...ya...dad...Giles must of noticed me being quiet because the next thing I know he's smiling

"Well I guess you were right Lela great job" I look up and smile back at him

"Thanks" Giles nods then looks at me confused

"How did you even manage to eat all of that though" he asks and I giggle some

"Werewolf perks" he grins and slightly chuckles

"Yes of course" we both order some drinks which they go ahead and give us for free without me losing one of the free meals. We both just lean back and rest our stomachs taking a sip of our drinks occasionally "are you ready to go" he asks me after a good 10 minutes of resting

"Yes" I answer him tiredly. he gets up and leaves a small tip and we both head out with him walking me home joking about tonight along the way

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BUFFYS POV

I slam my locker shut and lean Agenst it I've been talking to Xander about what happened last night for a while and with each word I just manage to make myself more upset

"So you just went home?" Xander asks

"What was I supposed to do? Say to Owen, 'Sorry I was late, I was sitting in a cemetery with the librarian and my sister chugging soda for hours waiting for a vampire to rise so we could prevent an evil prophecy from coming to pass?'" Xander weighs his options with his hands

"Or flat tire?" We start walking and I sigh

"I can't take this anymore. I feel like everyone is staring at me, the big, hideous, dateless monster." I swear this one guy we passed was stairing at me I can't stand this I turned around and yelled at him "What? Yeah, that's right, I have no life, c'mon, nothin' to see here, pal, move it along!" The guy Hurries away and we keep walking turning a corner

"You're acting a little overly, aren't you? I mean, you could have any guy in school."

"He's not any guy. He's more... Oweny."

"Sure, he's got a certain Owenosity, but that's not hard to find." He pauses as we reach his locker "I mean, a lotta guys read." He says with a goofy smile as I lean Agenst the lockers looking down "I can read." I look up to look at Xander to make a comment but I see Owen coming this way I quickly stand up strait as he reaches me

"Hey, Buffy!" He says

"Owen!" Is all I can manage to answer

"Oh, look, it's Owen." I give Xander a look that says be nice "Buffy and Owen. And Xander. That'd be me." He continues despite my warning

"W-where were you last night?" Owen asks

"Oh. Well, um, my watch broke and we don't have any clocks in our house and so I didn't know what time it was or even what day it was..." Oh god I sound like an idiot

"I thought I was the only one that happened to. How 'bout we try it again for tonight? I'll even lend you my watch." He hands me his gold pocket watch

"Tonight? Y-you and me?" I ask suprized

"Well, we could invite the chess club, but they drink and they start fights..."

"Oh, no, it's just... Well, I... sort of heard that... you and Cordelia were... somewhat... all over each other. A little..." Or a lot

"I danced with her a couple of times." He looks at me like he's a little discussted by her name "She's kinda grabby."

"Oh, well, let's see, if I rearrange that, and I push that to n... Sure! Tonight'll work!"

"Great! I'll pick you up at seven?"

"Um, seven!"

"That's when the little hand's" he points on the pocket watch "there."

"Oh! Between the six and the eight." I'm such an idiot

"Um, I'll see you then!" I watch him as he leaves

"Tonight! Isn't that so?"

"What?" Xander asks

"Me and Owen!" I say exited walking off to the library to tell Giles and Lela

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LELAS POV

I sigh as I flip through the pages of my book with no success on who the anointed one would be I look up and see giles rubbing his head and flipping through some pages obvisally having no luck either

"You ok" I ask him

" u-uh yes just a headache and slight stomach ache from last night"

"Yea sorry about that..." I say a little upset

"No no it's alright" he answers right when he goes to take a sip of his tea Buffy rushes in.

"Hey, how's it going?" Buffy asks fast

"Uh, alright." Giles answers

"That's great! I see we're still working on that Anointed One problem, that'll probably take you a few days, right? I mean, that's one obscure prophecy..."

"Well, yes, there are a few interpretations..." Buffy cuts him off

" So tonight's looking slow, right? Probably best to relax and regroup, no big disasters coming, that is *so* good, I will see you tomorrow then! Bye!" She leaves as fast as she came and Giles just looks at me taking a sip of his tea

"She is the strangest girl." He says and I just shrug and keep reading

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NO ONES POV

"You have done well. Everything is in place. When this night's work is done, I will have a mighty ally. I'll be one step closer to freeing myself from this... mystical prison." The master states as he feels his confines "I've been trapped down here so long I've nearly forgotten what it's like on the surface. Well, there'll be time enough to remember... when I rule it! If they try to stop you, kill them. Give your own lives, but do not fail to bring the Anointed. I know you won't disappoint me." He quickly grabs a bug from the air "Bug!"

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LELAS POV

I sigh sitting on the bed looking up at Buffy She's wearing her bathrobe, and Willow Xander and so not I Are helping her decide on an outfit. Turns out she has a make up date with Owen

"Pick!" Willow says excitedly Buffy looks at Xander as Willow holds up one of the dresses

"Okay, do I wanna appear shy, coy and naive or" Willow holds up the other for her "unrestrained, insatiable and aggressive? " Xander who's also watching from the bed looks at them obvisally not to thrilled

"Uh, y'know, Owen is a little home spun, he probably doesn't like that overly assertive look." He goes to her closet "Oh, hey, here's something. A nice comfy overcoat and a ski cap!" He holds them up to her and I smile "The ear flaps will bring out your eyes!" I nod

"I agree with Xander" Buffy and Willow exchange a look. Hey what can I say that dress is to short

"Maybe I should mix and match." Buffy says ignoring us and Willow nods "Okay, guy's opinion." She grabs two lipsticks from her desk and I roll my eyes "Which one do you think Owen will like better?" She holds them up "The red or the peach?"

"Oh, you mean for kissing you and then telling all his friends how easy you are so the whole school loses respect for you and then talks behind your back? The red's fine." Xander says and I shake my head he's really not liking this

"Thanks. I'll go with the peach." Buffy says a little sarcastically. She puts on the lipstick as willow hands Her a third dress

"Here, put this on." Willow says then both of them look at Xander.

"You're not bothering me!" Willow sighs and pushes him away. Xander you perv

"So, where's he taking you?"

"Oh, I don't know. Where do you suppose young kids go on dates these days?" Buffy says as she unties her bathrobe it's a good thing this isn't a different girl or else I'd be blushing like crazy I look away as I here foot steps and see Xander move over to buffys drawer chest and tries to angle the mirror inside a box so he can see. I'm about to get up and shove him out but he ends up breaking it and quickly closes it to try and hide what he did I sigh and make a mental note to fix that later

"Well, I read somewhere once that sometimes they go to movies." Willow says as Buffy finishes putting on the dress

"Movies! Interesting!"

"And I saw on TV once, a bunch of people our age went to a party."

"Wow! I never knew being a teenager was so full of possibilities! " Xander starts fumbling with the box more and we all look at him I about say something but the door bell rings and Buffy jumps up "That's Owen!" She rushes out and we all follow her as she opens the door she seems to lose some of her bubblyness "That's Giles."

"We need to talk." He says serisally

"Buffy's not home." She try's to close the door on him but he pushes it open and comes In

"My calculations may not have been as far off as I thought." He holds up a newspaper and Buffy reads it outloud

"Five Die in Van Accident'?"

"Out of the ashes of five shall rise the one. That's the prophecy. Five people have died!"

"In a car crash." buffy says skeptical

"Well it was years ago that these were written it's modern times so it could happen in any number of ways" I say and Giles nods and looks at her trying to get her to listen

"I know it doesn't quite follow, but, but it's worth investigating. Look! Among the dead was Andrew Borba, whom the police sought for questioning in a double murder. Now, he may be the Anointed One. The, the bodies have been taken to, to Sunnydale Funeral Home, w-we can..." Buffy interrupts him

"Giles, why do you wanna hurt me?"

"I beg your pardon?" Giles says confused and just as Buffy is about to answer Owen arrives

"Hey!" He says coming in without even an invite which annoys me

"Uh, hi!" Buffy says

"You have a date." Giles asks

"Yes, but I will return those overdue books by tomorrow."

"Wait, you're not getting off that easily."

"Man, you really care about your work!" Owen says

"Uh, Owen?" Willow says

"Yeah, a couple of things about tonight." Xander adds and they lead Owen into the living room.

"Another date? Don't you ever do anything else?" Giles asks

"This is the first date! There's never been a date, okay? This is my maiden voyage!" Buffy answers

"We don't even know if this is anything."

"No, we don't." Giles says slightly defeated

"And I haven't had a day off in a while."

"True..."

"And a cranky Slayer is a careless Slayer!"

"Buffy, maintaining a normal social life as a Slayer... i-i-is problematic at best." Giles reasons which i understand it would be dangerous for her to be with someone because anyone close to her would be a target we already dragged xander and willow into this mess I don't think anyone else should be put in danger

" this is the 90's. The 1990's, in point of fact, and I can do both. Clark Kent has a job. I just wanna go on a date."

"Well, I, I suppose it was a fairly slim lead..." Giles says giving up

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! And look, I won't go far, okay? If the apocalypse comes, beep me." Buffy says looking pleased owen ends up coming back out

"Is everything cool?" He asks

"All set." Buffy answers

"Yes, and, uh, you'll face a pretty hefty fine in the morning." Giles adds

"Well, bye. Don't wait up." Buffy says as leaves quickly with Owen

"Is something going on?" Willow asks

"Oh, uh, probably not, no. I, uh, I suppose I'll just, uh, go to the funeral home in case, just see if anything comes up." He goes to leave but I stop him

"I can come with you Giles" he looks and smiles some

"No no it's fine I'll be ok just a little scouting is all" he answers then leaves

"This is bad." Willow says worried

" I wish it was just bad." Xander answers

"We should... go along."

"Yeah, you're right. I don't trust that Owen guy. It's the eyes. Crazy!"

"Xander, we should go with Giles! He could get in trouble!" I just stay quiet she's right and I don't think he can defend himself that well

"Oh, he's gone, uh, it's, he's gonna be alright. He's like super librarian, y'know? Everyone forgets, Willow, that knowledge is the ultimate weapon." Xander answers and they both walk off to I assume wherever Buffy was going I sigh and look up

"I should follow him it's to dangerous and if he's right who knows how strong this anointed person is..."I say to myself I look around and shift into my werewolf form it will be easier to find and follow him like this I shake my fur and start following his scent staying in the shadows

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BUFFYS POV

Owen and I sit at a table talking.

"The thing about Emily Dickinson I love is, is she's just so incredibly morbid. A lot of loss, a lot of death... It gets me. With a lot about bees, for some reason." Owen says

"Did she have a tragic and romantic life? With a lotta bees?"

"Quiet. Kind of sequestered and uneventful. Which I can really relate to. I... don't get out much."

"I don't get that."

"It's my fault. I just find most girls pretty frivolous. I mean, there's a lot more important things in life than dating, y'know?" I look down at my beeper "Oh. Did I say something wrong?"

"Uh, no! Come on." I lead Owen to the dance floor ignoring the message and we both start dancing close

"It's weird."

"What is?"

"You! One minute you're right there. I've got you figured. The next, it's like you're two people."

"Really? Which one do you like better?"

"I'll let you know."

"Owen! Look at you, here all alone..." I hold in a groan as Cordelia's voise ruins the moment

"Cordelia, I'm here with Buffy." Owen says

"Oh! Okay. Do you wanna dance?"

"No, I'm still here with Buffy."

"You are so good to help the needy."

"Cordelia, Owen and I would like to be alone right now, and for that to happen, you would have to go somewhere that's away." I say to Cordelia resisting the earge to kick her out she just gives me a look then looks at Owen

"Well, when you're ready for the big leagues, let me know." She leaves and we finally go back to dancing

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GILES POV

I finally reach the feuneral home and park my car Its relatively quiet I get out grabbing my bag of supplies and slinging it over my shoulder walking a round my car and to the building I can't help but look around Its honestly a little creepy out I'm about to open the building when I sense something I stop and look at my right but nothing's there. I sigh must be my nerves As i turn back I notice it's not my nurves and that one of the brethren is in front of me I start backing away slowly but as I turn around there's another behind me

"Damn!" I pull out a cross from my bag as fast as I can and hold it up to them. They cower away in pain. And I make a dash for the building. Oh lord I should of let Lela come as I'm about to enter the building one of the breathen grab me and toss me back slightly and all three stand in front of me I start backing away slowly when I here something rustling in the bushes blast not another one! I turn my attention to the bushes and let out a relived breath as I see Lela in her wolf form charging at the breathern I brace myself for a fight but instead of fighting the breathern turn tail and run with Lela chasing after them I look around and quickly take the opertunity given to me to run into the building and baracade the door I take a quick glance around and put my cross up going into another room and blocking it off incase more are to show up which I have no doubt that they will sadly Lela can't chase them all at once...

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I finally find the door to the morgue lucky it's unlocked and I rush in. slaming the door behind me and blocking it with a filing cabinet, I take a moment to catch my breath My assumption was correct more came to replace the ones Lela is hunting I hope she dosent get surrounded out there I regain my posture and look around this must be the right place the brethren would not of been here if the anointed was not here I sigh and shake my head there's nothing I can do right now Lela is gone and I can not fight all thouse vampires I make up my mind and start looking for a way out so I can get Buffy I look at the windows but they are barred. But what other option do I really have I walk over to the Windows but jump back slightly startled seeing Xander and willow through the window

"AH!" I Yelp out Willow and Xander raise the window sash

"Giles, it's us!" Willow says

"What are you doing here?" I answer worried

"We saw two guys going in after you. Are they..." I look at the door herring that there getting close

"They are!" I look back "Uh, listen, you should get to safety."

"Can you get out this window?" Willow asks I test the bars and sigh

"I'm afraid not."

"Look, I hate to state the obvious, but this looks like a job for lela" Xander says

"Lela followed me and chanced three off she hasn't returned so I assume she's still hunting them" Willow looks at me worried from what I said "Uh, Buffy she has her, her... beeping thing!" I look around "Um, no phone, of course." I say annoyed

"Look, we'll get her, just, uh, hang in there." Xander says as they leave and I watch them worried

"Do hurry."

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BUFFYS POV

Owen and I take a break from dancing and stand by the stairs.

"Do you want something to eat?" He asks and I smile

"Sure. Just make it something fattening." I wait for him watching I turn around though when I here a familiar voise call my name

"Buffy."

"Angel." I reply

"I was hoping I'd find you here."

"You were?"

"Some serious stuff happening tonight. You need to be out there."

"No, not you, too." I say annoyed. I try to leave but he stops me

"What do you know?"

"Prophecy, Anointed One, yada, yada, yada..."

"So you know. Fine. I just thought I'd warn you."

"Warn me? You see that guy over there at the bar?" I walk around him and face Owen "He came here to be with me."

"You're here on a date?" He asks slight shock in his voise I turn to him annoyed

"Yes! Why is it such a shock to everyone?"

"Here you go." Owen says as he gets back

"Oh." I look between Angel and Owen "Um, Owen, this is Angel. Angel, this is Owen." I put my arm around him "Who is my date."

"Hey." Angel greets

"Hey! So. Where do you know Buffy from?" Owen asks curiousalluy

"Work." Owen looks at me confused

"You work?" Before I can answer I see Willow and Xander come running up out of breath.

"Buffy!" Willow manages to get out

"Look at this! You show up everywhere. Interesting." Owen says to Xander and xander points at Owen

"You don't know the half of it." He says then points at Angel "What's he doing here?"

"I guess it's the same thing you're doin' here." He answers ok no why is this happening to me I just want to have a normal day is that to much to ask

"Uh, excuse me, what are any of you doing here?" I ask annoyed

"Look, we gotta get to, uh..." Willow kicks him causing Xander to restart his sentence "Uhhhh. We thought it'd be fun if, uh, we made this a double date!" Willow and Xander put their arms around each other.

"I didn't know you guys were seeing each other." Owen say suprized

"Oh, yeah, well, we knew it would happen eventually, so we figured, hey! Why fight it?" Willow answers

"And you guys are thinking double?" Owen asks

"Cause of... " Xander laughs nervously "...the fun!" Owen looks at Angel

"And you're here because of work?" He asks

"Hey, maybe we should all go somewhere together."

"Gee, that's so nice of you to ask, but Owen and I were, well, sort of... Owen and I." I say

"You know what'd be cool? The Sunnydale Funeral Home!" Wait what

"I've always wanted to go there!" Willow says

"The funeral home?"

"Actually, that sounds kinda cool! Do you think we could all sneak in?" Wait Owen no

"We saw some guys in there before. They seemed to be" Xander looks at me "having fun! A few of them got chased away by I think a dog so it should be a little less crouded now" he finishes

"Bite me!" I say outloud to myself I look up at Angel and he gives me an 'I told you so' look. I sigh in defeat and look at Owen "Um, Owen, I gotta go."

"I thought we were going to the funeral home." He says confused

"No, you can't. I'll tell you what. I'll be back in a little while."

"Buffy..." Owen leads me away "What's the deal? Do you wanna bail on me?" My heart drops some

"No! No... no... uh... You remember when you said I was like two different people? Well, one of them has to go. But the other one is having a really, really good time, and will come back. I promise." Owen just nods his head and let's me go but I stop half way to Xander and Willow and quickly rush back and kiss Owen then I leave with Willow and Xander close behind. As we exit the bronze and get far enough away I look at them

"Ok fill me in" I tell them

"Giles was right but ran into trouble Lela chaced away some of the vampires but wasn't back by the time we got there and Giles is locked in one of the rooms" willow says quickly I just nod and quicken my pace worried about Giles and my sister

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We finally make it to the fenural home and Everything seems quiet. Willow Xander and I come in through the front door.

"Which way?" I ask

"The room's around back." Willow answer and we all go off to the left. Around a corner annnd then hit a dead end. I don't even bother to hold in my anoyence

"Damn it!"

"This is so cool!" I look back at herding Owens voise where the hell did he come from did he really just follow us?!

"Uh, Owen! You can't be here!"

"Oh, and I suppose you guys are allowed? What are we doin' here? Are we gonna see a dead body?"

"Possibly several." I answer and look at Xander and Willow "Guys, watch him." I run back the way we came I quietly walk down the hall, looking and listening. I finally find the damn morgue but the door was already open I slowly look around The place is a shambles..

"Giles?" I call out worried I spot His bag is on the autopsy gurney and notice The window bars are torn open I look around and find his cross Suddenly one of the doors to a body storage drawer opens in front of me and the drawer rolls out. Causing me to jump back startled "Giles!"

"It is you. Oh, good." He says trying to wiggle out

"What happened?"

"Uh, two more of the brethren came in here. They came after me. But I was more than a match for them."

"Meaning...?"

" I hid. Uh, this, uh, chap was good enough to bunk with me till they went away." he says as he jumps down off of the cadaver

"Well, were they here after you, or was it that prophecy thing?"

"Ah, well, that's what we have to find out. I don't know what these brethren mean to do exactly. Find the Anointed, or, or, or, or give him something perhaps, uh, it's all, all very vague! And the Anointed may be long gone!"

"But he may not be."

"We must find out."

"Okay, I just need to get Owen and the others out of harm's way first." He gives me an annoyed and shocked look

"Owen? You brought a date?" I sigh

"I didn't bring him, he just came."

"Buffy, when I said you could slay vampires and have a social life, I didn't mean at the same time."

"I know. I'll get rid of him" I start to leave

"Y-you can't make him go out there alone, we don't know where the brethren are or even where your sister is we can't have him running into either. I-I'll just..."

"No! No, Giles, he sees you, he's gonna have more questions than he already does right now. I'll take care of it." I run out into the hall and look around for the others. They come around a corner and see me.

"Is everything okay?" Willow asks

"It is."

"And we'll be leaving?" Xander asks

"We're not done lookin' around yet!" Owen says upset

"No, he's right. So let's find a nice, safe, fun room to look around in." I take Owen's hand and lead him and the others down the hall. We reach an office door. Good enough

"We tried the office here, but it's locked." I break the lock and go in

"No it's not!"

"Well, I don't think we'll find much in here." I look around and don't see anything trying to hold in a sigh just work with me Owen

"That's the plan."

"Okay." He says confused "What?"

"I have to go now" I laugh nervously "Um, to the bathroom, I have to go to the bathroom. If you hear anything, like a security guard or something, just be really quiet. " I turn to Willow and Xander "And barricade the door." I rush out into the hall again and look around on my way back to the morgue meeting with Giles

"Start looking through the body drawers" Giles says right when I get in and I do as I'm told opening one after another Ive opened about three the fourth one having nothing but parts

"Ewww, parts!" I can't help but say outloud

"Keep looking, he must be here somewhere." Giles replies we keep looking for a few minutes but there only one left now Giles opens it quickly and I pull out the drawer. It's empty.

"Nothing."

"The Anointed must be gone."

"I guess. I mean, this is where they keep all the dead bodies, right?"

"Mm-hm." Giles answers defeated I'm About to suggest that we get going but the sound of a window being smashed stops me

"Oh, no!" I start running to the office where I left everyone. I almost run into them in the hall not noticing they were running twords me

"He's in there!" Xander half yells

"Uh, go! Get out! "

"She'll be okay. C'mon!" Xander says and They continue running. I try to find andrew damn I can here him singing where is he I keep walking some then stop when the singing gets louder and I see him comeing down the hall towards me

"Shall we gather at the river? The beautiful, the beautiful river?" He says making no since I Try to head him off another way but I shake my head and change my direction towards it morge I need a weapon giles please be there. My luck turns as I see him still there I rush in talking fast

"What've you got?"

"What?"

"What'd you bring? Do you have a stake?"

"Oh, uh..." He goes through his bag and hands me a stake.

"Thank you!" I head back out the door

"W-what should I do?" Giles asks I look at him

"Um, go outside and make sure the others are okay." The next thing I know I'm flying through the air And slam agenst something hard then darkness

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WILLOWS POV

I look at Owen as he speaks

"Somebody's gotta help Buffy!" He says no we need to stay put!

"Owen!" Ignoring my call Owen runs to the morgue. With us following behind As we reach where Buffy and Giles are we all stop for a moment Buffy is just starting to get up off the floor and Andrew is approaching Giles.

"They told me about you while I was sleeping." Giles holds up his cross. And Andrew backs up slightly in pain I try hard not to watch to much because of the fact hes well...naked "Uh! Why does he hurt me?" He slaps Giles' hand away, and the cross goes flying. He then grabs Giles and throws him into the crematory controls. Which seems to of fired up the the chamber light to the cremation chamber I look from the chamber to Giles hes unconscious I turn my attention to Buffy as Andrew bends down to pick Buffy up. Before I can do anything Owen comes running in.

"Buffy!" He calls as Andrew raises her above his head. "No!" He grabs a tray and swings it into Andrew's back, stunning him. His knees buckle and he lets go of Buffy. She staggers into an open body drawer door and falls down unconscious. I turn my attention to Andrew and Owen quickly as Andrew turns and grabs Owen by the neck growling as he moves in to bite him Owen grabs an urn from a shelf and smashes it over Andrew's head causing him to drop Owen he goes over to help Buffy as fast as he can while me and Xander stand on the sidelines I wish Lela was here Buffy wakes up and tries to get up. "Did you see that? He tried to bite me!" He helps Buffy up "What a sissy!" Before I know it Andrew gets back up, grabs Owen and smashes a body drawer door into the back of his head. Is he...is he dead...

"No!" Buffy yells out

"Dead!" He lets Owen fall "He was found wanting!"

Buffy kicks him right in the gut making Him roll over the autopsy gurney and onto the floor. She runs around to the far end of the gurney as Andrew quickly gets up. She pushes the gurney into his gut, and then pushes down on her end so it pivots up to hit him in the chin. He staggers back and falls. She then jumps up onto the gurney and does a roundoff onto the floor as he gets up. He swings at Buffy's face, but she blocks it. He tries again with his other arm, hitting Buffy in the face and knocking her to the me to flinch He starts to taunt her as she quickly gets up.

"You killed my date!" I see movement out of the corner of my eye Owens alive!

"Buffy! Owen's..." I start but Xander stops me pulling me back

"J-just give her a sec!" He says holding me gently I look back at the fight and notice why he stopped me buffys actually beating him now because she thinks that he killed Owen...I watch as Buffy blocks another punch, and then hits Andrew and Blocks a second punch from him, she hits him in the gut again. As he leans forward from the pain, she knees him in the gut, and then shoves him backward into a counter.

"You killed my date!" She yells again I turn around some as I see more movement Giles seems to of finally woke up good

"Your turn!" I hear Andrew say I quickly turn my attending back in time to see him lunge at Buffy, but she sidesteps him and uses his forward momentum to launch him into the air. He lands on the gurney, and it rolls over to the crematory. The gurney stops when it hits, but Andrew continues to slide through the open door. Giles kicks the gurney away and slams the crematory door shut. Andrew screams as he burns with Buffy watching him through the small window she takes her eyes off of it when she notices Owen trying to sit up.

"Does anyone have an aspirin? Or sixty?" He asks Buffy goes to Owen shocked and happy

"Owen!" She crouches beside him

"What happened to that guy?"

"Oh... We scared him away."

"Oh, good. 'Cause, y'know, I would've..."

"I know. Here..." She helps him up "I'm sure this isn't exactly what you had in mind for our first date." Owen rubs his head

"Yeah! I was hoping maybe we'd finish at Ben & Jerry's."

"We still could..."

"No, I, I, I think I'll just walk home." He starts to go, but stops "Uh, which way's home?"

"I'll get you there"

"No, I'll, I'll go it alone." Xander and I come over.

"We'll make sure he gets home safely." Xander says as we lead Owen away.

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GILES POV

I look at Buffy as she watches them go poor girl I slowly come over behind her.

"Buffy, if I might, uh..." I start but she cuts me off

"Don't!" She says as she slowly walks out I sigh and clean my glasses I know this must be hard on her I put my glasses back on and walk outside and sit down deciding to wait for Lela

"I hope she's alright..." I say to myself

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LELAS POV

I follow behind Giles closely and watch as he try's to get into the building but fails one of the vampires grabs him and thrusts him away from the door and all three stand infront of him I growl quietly and get ready to lunge forward I take a quick glance at Giles and see he's looking at the bushes I'm in but he dosent notice the vampires starting to move twords him. I run out of the bushes fast and bare my fangs instead of them fighting me though they run off like the cowards they are and I give chace. I let out grunts as I run after them I slow down slightly as they split up one going straight and the other two going to the left and right I deside to follow the one that went straight and speed up but just as fast as I speed up I stopped causing some dirt to come up off the ground I look around still on all fours I'm in a clearing alone. No one else..just as I'm about to let my guard down I catch multiple scents my eyes widden as what happened just hits me AMBUSH! I let out a loud roar as I'm instantly surrounded by vampires there's at least thirty of them here I dig my claws into the ground giving one last warning growl

"KILL HER!" One of them yells to the others as he and a few more start running first I follow suit and run at them jumping up and landing on top of the one that ordered the commend grabbing his head in my jaws and tearing it off his body the head turns to ash as I turn and attack another taking care of him the same way as the other I'm about to go after a third when one jumps on my back trying to break my neck I buck some trying to shake him off but when I realize he's not going to budge I stand up on my hind legs and reach behind my back ripping him off and throwing him into one of his allies. I roar and rush at some of the scattered vampires raking my claws along there necks severing there heads from their bodies I can hear some coming up behind me I duck fast and run turning my body fast biting onto their calves and tossing them into the air as I go after a group to my left multiple vampires grab onto me and try to hold me down I let out growls and snaps but nothing is getting them off I can't even move just as I think i might of lost this someone gets them off me and I take the opertunity to move to a better Tatitical point who I see shocks me some it's angel

"I though you could use some help" he says as he kills a few of his kind I give him a nod and start attacking again with his help we managed to kill all of them. As I pant slightly tired dust goes into my mouth I shake my head in discust. I deside to go on all fours and shake my fur out and low and behold more and more dust comes off of me after a bit the dust finally stops and I stand back up looking at the person who saved me I shift back and walk over to him

"Hey um...thanks for helping me" I say to him he just nods

"Your welcome"

"Why did you though.." I ask confused

"What do I have to gain if your dead" he answers "we're on the same side" I nod and smile

"Thanks again" he just nods once more and leaves hmm he's not a bad fighter for a vampire. I shake again and groan out

"Oh come on" I say annoyed as more dust falls out of my hair I lower my head and ruffle my hair until all of it comes out. "Finally"

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GILES POV

I sigh and pace around to worried to sit anymore

"I should look for her" I say as I turn around but sigh in relief as I see her emerge from where she last ran off "Lela thank goodness your alright what happened?" I ask her worried she just looks at me and streatches

"Chaced after the cowards they split up and turns out the one I desided to follow lead me into ambush of thirty vamps but there dust now" she answers and I look at her shocked

"T-thirty how did you ever manage to get out alive"

"I had some help from angel" she answers and I just nod relived she's ok

"Well I'm glad your ok" she just smiled and I smiled back but it soon turned into a look of slight shock when I hear her stomach growl extreamly loudly

"Ops" she says I just laugh slightly she went through a lot so why not

"Want to go get something to eat" I ask her she clasps her hands together and does a slight jump

"YES!" She half yells in a reponce I chuckle and lead her to my car so we both can eat

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BUFFYS POV

Xander Willow Lela and I walk along the balcony.

"Well, did Owen say anything about me on the way home?" I asked worried

"Oh, you mean specifically about you?" Willow asks

"Or generally... i-in the area, in the ballpark, any sort of indication?" We round the corner and start walking down the stairs.

"Well, in that case, no." Xander answers

"But he was pretty incoherent, so we might've missed it." Willow added

"You think?" I ask hopefull

"No." Xander answers fuck...

" I knew it. I totally blew it last night!"

"No, see, what you need is a guy who already knows your deepest, darkest secrets and still says, Hey! I like that girl!' Someone like..." I stop seeing Owen

"Owen!"

"Well, heh... This is our stop." Willow says as she walks around Me along with everyone else

"Hi." Owen says

"Hi." I reply pausing..."This is going well."

"I don't really know how to say this, but... about last night..."

"You don't even have to. I'm sure you were pretty freaked out."

"Totally." I look down "And... I was wondering when I could see you again." Huh what? I look back up at him

"Um, that was my hopeful ear. Could you repeat that?"

"I think you're the coolest!" I smile

"Really?"

"I mean, last night was incredible! I never thought nearly getting killed would make me feel so... alive!" I look down and start to walk oh...

"So that's why you wanna be with me." Owen follows me

"Oh, absolutely! When can we do something like that again?" That's not the answer I wanted...

"Something like..." I ask with what ever little hope I have left for a different answer

"Like, walk downtown at three in the morning, a-and pick a fight in a bar. How about tonight?"

"Tonight would..." We stop walking and I break inside "be... not a workable thing. Did I just say that?"

"Tomorrow, then. I-I'm free any night this week." Owen...

"I'm not. Please don't take this personally. It's not you, it's me."

"Right. It's you." He says starting to get the hint

"And I was kinda hoping that... maybe you and I could still be..."

"I, I get it. You just wanna be friends." He says disapointed

"That'd be nice."

"Friends. Yeah. Great." He says leaving and I sigh I know he doesn't mean it

"Yeah. Great." I say to myself. Giles comes up behind me and we both watch him leave I look down and walk over to the bench sitting down and Giles follows me.

"I was ten years old when my father told me I was destined to be a Watcher." He starts saying and sits next to me "He was one, and his, uh, mother before him, and I was to be next."

"Were you thrilled beyond all measure?"

"No, I had very definite plans about my future. I was going to be a fighter pilot. Or possibly a grocer, well, uh... My father gave me a very tiresome speech about, uh, responsibility and sacrifice."

"Sacrifice, huh?"

"Seems like a nice lad." He says looking twords Owen

"Yeah. But he wants to be danger man. You, Xander, Willow, you guys... you guys know the score, you're careful. Two days in my and Lelas world and Owen really would get himself killed. Or I'd get him killed." I face Giles "Or someone else."

"I, I went to the funeral home of my own free will. And Lela went after the three vampires on her own free will"

"And I should've been there."

"Buffy..."

"I blew it! I put you and Lela in danger you get chaced and trapped and Lela gets ambushed!"

"I have volumes of lore, of prophecies, of predictions. But I don't have an instruction manual. We feel our way as we go along. And, I must say, as a Slayer, you're, you're doing... pretty well. Both of you" I smile some

"Well. At least I did stop that prophecy thing from coming true."

"You did! Handily. No more Anointed One. And I would imagine the Master, wherever he is, is having a fairly bad day himself." He smiles and We laugh

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NO ONES POV

"And in this time will come the Anointed. the Slayer and her guardian will not know him. They will not stop him, and he will lead them into hell.'" The master reads as he kneels down next to The younge child that was on the bus "Welcome, my friend."

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So a lil bonding moment with Giles and fries And lela so I'm back mainly I've been both lazy and Stumped on a chapter I wanted to get done befer uploading some you may notice errors or it's not exacally written the same as others one I haven't written in while so I'm rusty two my computers screwed so I can't do the fancy checking I usally do which usally shows me so much I did wrong so sorry about tha basically the chapters will be scattered hopefully more frequent but I dont know also can't remember if I said this but some chapters later on may not be In here mainly cause there wouldn't really be much Lela in it or I can't fig out anything to write this was gonna be one of them but she could pop up enoug plus it was a good bonding point for Giles and her also yes parts are cut out I'm not gonna write every part if I don't fully feel there nessicary so yea I may upload another right after this or in few days if I don't lose track of time


	6. The pack

The pack

LELAS POV

I smile and skip around as we finally leave the area of the zoo with the fish. The school actually desided to do a field trip and im happy it was to The Sunnydale Zoo I always loved to take photos that's one of the reasons mom and Buffy got me this really nice camera the second is that when mom saw how good my photos were she wanted me to keep doing it but as soon as i herd we were going I put it around my neck and haven't taken it off granted its just been a day but still. I try to hold in how happy I am to not be in class and to be taking photos by now I have a ton of fish in my camera but I was able to convince Buffy to come with me else were because honestly I want to take some photos of animals that arnt fish now. I look around and see A sign that points to the reptiles, elephants and the Hyena House. Oh man where first I sigh I'll probably have to split up from Buffy so I can get some pictures I want before we have to go.

"Oh, look. It's Buffy Lela and all their friends." I look over from the sign and try to hold in a growl as I see Kyle not these band of bullies again...

"That's a witty." Buffy says not amused

"Oh look at this Kyle" Rhonda says as she half skips over to me I just glare at her what is she.. "Dog girl has a fancy camera" she says trying to take it I guess the rumor Cordelia said got to them. Buffy was about to come help but stopped when I let out a low growl and grab Rhondas arm tight keeping her from touching it I happen to like this camera and I'm not letting anyone mess with it. She try's to yank her arm away twice the third time I let her get it out of my grasp and she backs up with a smirk I look over to Buffy and she seems a little happy that I stuck up for myself for once

"Do you two ever wonder why nobody cool wants to hang out with you?" Tor says

"Just thankful." Buffy says in a reply and I just stay quiet

"Were you this popular at your old school? Before you got kicked out?" Rhonda says The group laughs, and they continue on their way.

"Careful! They might beat you up!" Tor says I look at Buffy and she's obvisally upset I give her a gentle hug and she smiles at me slightly and we just continue to walk heading to the elephants. Buffy just starts reading the plaque and I start taking photos about a minute passes and Xander and Willow come running up.

"Hey! Buffy! Lela!" Xander says

"You missed it!" Willow says exited

"Missed what?" Buffy asks

"We just saw the zebras mating!" Xander nods to Willow "Thank you, very exciting..."

"It was like the Heimlich, with stripes!" Willow says "it would of made a great picture" she adds looking at me and I just shake my head

"Uh no thanks will I don't really want a photo of that" I respond

"And I missed it. Yet somehow I'll find the courage to live on." Buffy says having the same I don't really want to see that reaction as she begins walking

"Where were you guys?" Willow asks as she follows her Xander and I following her lead

"Uh, looking at the fishes"

"Was it cool?" Willow asks

"Yea I basically got a whole aquarium I'm my camra" I answer her and Buffy just looks at me in slight amusement

"It was fishes." She says

"I'm feelin' that you're not in the field trip spirit here." Xander comments

"Well, it would... It's nothing, I... We do the same zoo trip at my old school every year. Same old, same old." Buffy answers and I just nod some ya but I like taking the photos never know what you'll get on camra

"Buffy, this isn't just about looking at a bunch of animals. This is about not being in class!" Xander states and I nod to that true it is but it's also for the animals but I deside not to speek what I think though seeing Buffy brighten up

"You know, you're right! Suddenly the animals look shiny and new." Buffy says

"Gotta have perspective." Xander replys I smile and think

"Hey guys gather up for a moment" they look at me confused but do as I ask "ok now smile!" I grin and they laugh slightly and smile widely. I snap a few photos of them and wave my camra around a bit to show them I'm done they all walk over to see. Xander carefully takes my camra and finds the pictures

"Hey who's this good lookin guy" he jokes

"It looks good Lela" Willow adds and Buffy nods smiling

"But why didn't you join us in the pik you have a trimmer on it." Buffy asks

"I would of but I don't really want a random person Holding it and I'm scared it I set it on the railing it will fall into the pins and be crushed" I answer her and she as well as willow nod understanding

"Any chance i can have a copy?" Xander asks and I just nod smiling slightly embarrassed

"Sure anyone else want one?" Willow and Buffy nod and I smile more we all look up from my camra just in time to see Kyle and the others taking another student I think his name is lance to the hyena house and ducking under the tape

"What are Kyle and his buds doing with Lance?" Willow asks worried

"Oh, playing with him as a cat plays with a mouse." Xander answers

"What is it with those guys?" Buffy asks

"They're obnoxious. Professionally." Willow answers

"Well, every school has 'em. So, you start a new school, you get your desks, some blackboards and some mean kids." Xander try's to joke

"Yeah, well, I'd better extract Lance before..." Buffy starts but Xander interrupts her

"I'll handle it. This job doesn't require actual slaying." He says as he goes in I can't help but think...was that a slight insult or...

"You don't think we should follow?" Buffy asks Willow

"Kyle and those guys are jerks, but they're all talk. Mostly." She answers

"Why don't we..." Buffy says to us and I nod

"Yeah, why don't we?" We duck under the tape and start to walk in, but are caught in the act by a zookeeper.

"Oh, hold it, hold it, are you blind, or are you just illiterate? Because hyenas are very quick to prey on the weak." The zookeeper says

"Oh, w-we were just gonna take..." Buffy starts but I cut in

"Photos we always wanted a photo of them and we saw that you had them so we was hoping to get a fast photo" Buffy looks a little relived with my excuse but just by looking at the zookeeper it's obvious he is not going to let us it at all I just hope he dosent go in there

"You're not going in there. Anyone that does is in a world of trouble." Knew it

"No, no one's going in there." Willow says as she ducks back under the tape. Buffy and I do the same

"Why is it off-limits?" Buffy asks

"It's a quarantine. These hyenas just came in from Africa, so keep out. Even if they call your name." The keeper answers call our name?..

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asks just as confused as I am

"The Masai tribesmen told me that hyenas are capable of understanding human speech. They follow humans around by day, learning their names. At night, when the campfire dies, they call out to a person. Once they separate him, the pack" he snaps his fingers "devours them." Buffy willow and I look at eachother and back to the hyena house even more worried "now I don't want to see you three back around here now shoo" we pretty much didn't have a choise but to leave the hyena house at this point so we all walked back to the elephants

"What now?" Willow asks and Buffy just shrugs

"Well" I speek up "since we can't wait for him I say look around more besides I want to get a few more pictures in it's about time to go" they just nod and I walk off looking behind me a few times guess they are gonna wait "oh well. Zebras here I come" I say to myself and hurry on my way

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BUFFYS POV

Willow and I sit down at an empty table as we make our way back from the bar. It's to bad Lela can't handle it the bronze has decent food I shrug at my own though remembering that she couldn't of made it anyway because she's developing the pictures she took today. I carefully set my drink and croissant down on the table

"I thought Xander would be here by now." Willow says sad and worried

"Hmm, that'd make him on time. We couldn't have that!" I joke but it seems she isn't taking the joke very well

"Did he seem upset at all on the bus back from the zoo?"

"About what?"

"I dunno. He was quiet."

"I didn't notice anything." We both sit down and I start nibbling on my crasont "But then again I'm not as hyperaware of him as, oh, say, for example, you." I give her a small smile

"Hyperaware?"

"Well, I'm not constantly monitoring his health, his moods, his blood pressure..."

"130 over 80!" I try not to laugh

"You got it bad, girl!"

"He makes my head go tingly. You know what I mean?"

"I dimly recall."

"But it hasn't happened to you lately?" I frown

"Not of late."

"Not even for a dangerous and mysterious older man whose leather jacket you're wearing right now?" My frown turns into mock annoyance

"Goes with the shoes!" I say in a lame defense

"Come on, Angel pushes your buttons. You know he does"

" I suppose some girls might find him good looking..." With that willow gives me a look that tells me I'm busted "...if they have eyes, alright, he's a honey, but... it's just he's never around, and when he is all he wants to do is talk about vampires, and... I, I just can't have a relationship..." I finish looking down

"There he is!" Willow says suddenly and I look back up fast

"Angel?" I say exidengly

"Xander!" I try to hide my blush oh right Xander I follow her gaze and watch him walk up to the table

"Girls!" He greets

"Boy!" I greet him back

"Sorry I'm late, I... just forgot that we were gonna be here." He looks at my croissant "Hungry!" He then tears a piece off and eats it and I give him an annoyed look he could of asked

"Xander, you still want me to help you with geometry tomorrow?" Willow asks as Xander takes a swig of My drink and I just shoot him a meaner glare "We can work after class..." He gives Willow a thumbs-up

"Yeah." He looks at me "What is this crap?"

"Well, it was my buttery croissant. " I say was a little louder

"Man, I need some food! Birds live on this!" Then you should of gotten your own food I keep my mouth shut and look at Willow then we both look at Xander and he looks back and forth at us

"What?" He asks

"What's up with you?" I ask him

"Is something wrong? Did I do something?" Willow asks

"What could you possibly do? That's crazy talk. I'm just... restless." Xander answers willow

"Well, we could go to the ice cream place..." Xander points to the table

"I like it here." He looks up and scans the area a bit, and then leans toward Me and sniffs my hair do I smell or something that's impossible I had a shower before I left

"Okay, now what?" I ask slightly annoyed

"You took a bath."

"Yeah, I-I often do, I'm actually known for it."

"That's okay." He says as he starts looking around again scratching his chest some willow and I just exchange another look

"And the weird behavior award goes to..." I say in annoyance when Xander doesn't reply I follow his gaze and low and behold Kyle and the others come in. "Oh, great. It's the winged monkeys." Kyle and company come over to us and just have a stare down with Xander after a bit They go around to another table that's occupied and stares at a boy that's sitting there

"Y'know, I don't understand why you're sitting at our table." Kyle says

"Yeah, shouldn't you be hovering over the football stadium with 'Goodyear' written on you?" Rhonda adds at that They start laughing and to both willows and my suprized so does Xander he turns back to us then stops when he sees we arnt laughing

"Kid's fat." Is all he has to say before he turns his attention back to them something is definitely wrong here

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LELAS POV

I can't help but jump back and forth punching the air as I watch Giles train buffy or more accurately watch Buffy train on him good thing he has protective gear on because She does a roundhouse kick followed by a high punch and a swinging middle punch to Giles gloved hands. She continues, doing a full spin and finishing with a backhand punch. She does a full spinning jumping high wheel kick followed by a right middle punch, a high roundhouse kick and a front snap kick. Then she jumps high and does a twin straddle kick. She lands back on her feet and moves in to attack again, when Giles suddenly jumps back I guess he's tired I hope he still has some strength left for me

"Right!" Buffy stops short as Giles speaks "That's enough training for one day."

"Well, that last roundhouse was kinda sloppy. Are you sure you don't wanna do it again?" Buffy asks

"No! No, no, that's fine. You just... run along to class." Giles says out of breath and Buffy goes "While I wait for the feeling to return to my arms." He finishes when she's out of the room and I giggle

"What about me" I pretend to go and punch him and he jumps away and I laugh loudly

"Lela!" He says shocked and I laugh harder

"Sorry Giles couldn't resist but will we be training today" I ask as I calm down

"N-no not tonight but another day and I would like to train you while your a werewolf as well I have a whole corse planned" I tilt my head course? Werewolf?

"Ok not that I'm not glad I get to run around but how will we do that without being seen and what course?" He just gives me a tired smile

"We will do it at night in the woods no one should see us and yes a running course some dummy's and other things"

"You mean the zip line things with a toy on it that they use to train and race dogs" I ask Him and he blinks and thinks for a moment

"Y-yes I suppose so" I just smile at him it's obvious he didn't think about how that would sound sooner or what it resembled

"It's ok Giles I'm going to meet up with willow and Xander see you later" he smiles and waves good bye and I wave back and head out surching for their scent let's see Buffy principle...pig?...why do I smell a pig I shake my head and try again more pig pig pig pig God all I smell is...ah there we go willow I follow her scent and walk outside to a bench she's with Xander I guess there studying I just sit not to far away and wait till they finish I sigh a little and deside to watch them and listen since I don't have anything else to do

"I'm not getting this." Xander says he sounds annoyed

"It's simple, really. See, 'The bisector of a vertex is the line that divides the angle at that vertex into two equal parts.'" Willow trys to help him understand the best she can

"It's like a big blur, all these numbers and angles" I know how he feels math sucks

"It's the same stuff from last week. You had it down then."

"Why do I need to learn this?" Xander says more annoyed then before

"Cause otherwise you'll flunk math?"

"Explain the part where that's bad." He says rubing the bridge of his nose

"You remember, you fail math, you flunk out of school, you end up being the guy at the pizza place that sweeps the floor and says, 'Hey, kids, where's the cool parties this weekend?' We've been through this." Xander rubs his right temple "Do you have a headache?" Willow asks as she reaches up to him and he shakes her off

"Yeah, and I think I know what's causing it." He throws his geometry book into the trash "Ah! That's better, it goes right to the source of the pain."

"Xander..." Willow asks getting a little upset at this I start to get up

"Look, forget it, okay? I don't get it. I won't ever." He gets up "I don't care." He throws his math notebook into Willow's lap and leaves in a huff as she watches him and I walk to her side

"We can finish this another time." I place my hand on her shoulder and she jumps slightly "Oh when did you" I stop her and walk to the trash and take the book out

"I was looking for you but you was busy so I waited he seems mad"

"He has been acting off ever since the zoo" she answers worried and I nod

"I could tell he was acting weird on the bus but I just assumed he was tired I guess not.." She nods sadly and I rub her back not knowing what to say

"We should head to the gym" she pipes up after a minute or two and I nod taking a few of her books for her she smiles softly at me and I smile back

"Oh" I say while we start to walk "is there a reason I've been smelling pig" she grins and nods

"Oh yea principle Flutie got a pig and is using him as our mascot his name is Herbert" I just look at her

"He does know that their a hand full right" I ask worried for the poor pig she shrugs

"I hope he does" after that we walk in silence

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Lightning strikes outside of the gym willow Buffy Xander and I have already changed and are waiting for what Coach Harrold has planned

"Alright" I hear him finally say "it's raining, all regular gym classes have been postponed, so you know what that means" he holds up a large rubber ball "dodgeball! Now, for those of you that may have forgotten, the rules are as follows you dodge." He tosses the ball to Buffy then blows his whistle, we all move into groups and move back from center court. He whistles again and the ball throwing commences. We all start dodging and throwing balls at eachother well expect for me I just keep gathering the balls since I haven't had one come right at me yet but As I go to grab another ball one whizzes past me and nails someone making him fall down I look from where it came from and see that Xander was the one who through it I quickly start gathering balls up again all the while keeping an eye on Xander as he nails person after person harder than he should I get a glance of Buffy hitting people with her balls but not nearly has hard as Xander is He throws again and nails Willow hard on the back I catch her As she gives him a hurt and confused look as she walks off of the court she's going to be Bruzed from that I turn all my attention onto Xander as he catches a ball and watches Willow go, but soon continues the game. I start taking out the goon troup that Xander has been spending time with but they all somehow dodge easily which dosent really happen a lot I try my last one at Xander and he dodges easily as well. A few seconds later him and the others aim their balls at me Kyle and Rhonda aiming on either side of me to keep me from escaping and Xander aiming at me he wouldn't would- before I know it I'm on the ground my heads throbbing and my vision is blurry I try to stand but I can't seem to get myself up or to even focus on anything I can here foot steps come twords me and each step makes my head pound I feel a light and gentle touch on my arm and a distorted voise that sounds like willow she says something and another pair of feet come over a new distorted voise joins willows it sounds like Buffy after they talk for a minute they both help me up and one leaves the other which I'm sure is willow walks me to what I assume is the end of our side of the court then she gets me to sit and she carefully guides my head to her shoulder. I can't believe Xander would do that I sigh and close my eyes waiting for my vision to return to me with each toss of the ball and with each time it hits someone my head pounds at the noise this is one time having Inhanced hearing is shit. After a few minutes I open my eyes again and i seem to see better now things are spinning slightly and are a little blurry still but I can see none the less I can see Buffy is the only one left on our side and Xander Kyle Rhonda and the others plus lance are the only ones left on their side but what I see next scares me Xander and the others turn their attention to lance as one pushes him down and they throw their balls at him hard...including xander. Buffy runs over and helps Lance up and She stares at stares back. Not saying a word as he and the others leave

"God, this game is brutal. I love it!" I here Coach Harrold say and I glare at him through my blurry vision jack ass I feel willow move some and I look up from my spot on her shoulder and see Buffy with a worried look on her face they both help me back up and walk me to the nurses office

"What is it" I here the nurse ask

"She got hit in the head with a dodge ball and fell she couldn't get up for a little while" I hear willow tell her

"Is Anything else wrong" the nurse asks me

"My vision is blurry and my head is pounding but not as much as it was when it happened..." The nurse seems slightly annoyed but points to the cot agenst the wall

"Let her stay here for a little while one of you stay to walk with her and keep an eye on her for an hour or two" the nurse says annoyance clear in her voise willow and Buffy talk about it and willow volunteers to stay with her help I lay down on the cot once I get confirmable she reliance's her gentle grip on my arm but the feeling of her still holding it lingers and makes me smile a little soon I close my eyes falling asleep before I know it

"Lela" i here my name being called but ignore it "Lela" this time the person calling my name gently shakes my shoulder it must be willow I slowly force myself to sit up and open my eyes my head isn't pounding anymore and my vision is back to normal "the nurse said we need to go to class now" willow tells me as she sits down in front of me "how are you doing" she asks

"A lot better" I answer then give her a worried look "what about you" she just shrugs and helps me up I wobble a bit and she helps me gain my balence back I give her a thankful smile and we both head to her locker first "how much did we miss"

"A lot we only have one class left" she answers I sigh knowing we both have a lot to make up "lean agenst the lockers" she says as she carefully helps me lean agenst them she then opens hers looking through things we both must of noticed Xander because she stops and goes up to him when he comes over..with the gang right behind

"Xander... What's wrong with you?" Willow asks upset Xander looks at the others briefly and pulls Willow aside.

"I guess you've noticed that I've been different around you lately." He says and I watch him close something dosent feel right...

"Yes."

"I think, um... I think it's because my feelings for you have been changing." Buffy comes around the corner to her locker and she watches us as she works on her combination. "And, well, we've been friends for such a long time that I feel like I need to tell you something." Willow looks at him expectantly. And Buffy gets her locker door open taking a few things out watching worried "I've, um... I've decided to drop geometry. So I won't be needing your math help anymore. Which means I won't have to look at your pasty face again." He and the others laugh and Willow looks crushed. She turns and leaves going to class Buffy watches her quickly walk by. She slams her locker and approaches Xander with her arms crossed and I follow her lead He stops laughing.

"You gonna say something to me?" She asks mad Xander just looks at her and starts laughing again more loudly. He goes back to the pack, and as they go to leave. I walk to him and grab his shoulder he shrugs it off roughly and looks at me

"I don't know what's gotten into you Xander but what ever it is it needs to stop" I tell him in an emotionless tone as I go through my pocket taking out a copy of the photo I took of willow Buffy and him at the zoo I shove it to his chest and he puts his hand on it "before you lose the people closest to you" I finish he looks at the photo and smirks laughing with the others and rip it up tossing it away they then turn and leave still laughing my heart drops at what just happened this isn't our Xander...Buffy takes my hand and looks at me sadly I just shake my head upset and we both go after Willow.

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We manage to locate willow she was sitting outside on part of the schools railing crying we both sit by her before we say anything she starts crying more than she was and speaks

"I've known him my whole life" she sniffles "Well, we haven't always been close, but he's never..." She exhales

"I think something's wrong with him." Buffy says

"Or maybe there's something wrong with me."

"What are you talking about?"

"C'mon. He's not picking on you. He's just sniffing you a lot. I don't know, maybe four isn't company anymore."

"You think this has something to do with me?" Buffy asks upset

"Of course." Willow says

"No. That still doesn't explain why he's hanging out with the dode patrol. Hurt Lela, Or why he ripped up the picture he wanted"

"Willow he's being horrid to everyone. I really think something's wrong with him I don't think it's Buffy or you" I add and she looks at me starting to believe me a little Buffy then hops off the railing

"Something's going on. Something weird." She says

"What're you gonna do?" Willow asks

"Talk to the expert on weird." She answers

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BUFFYS POV

I follow Giles as he reads works and talks not really taking what I'm telling him serisally

"Xander's taken to teasing the less fortunate?" Giles asks

"Uh-huh." I answer as I keep following him around the room as he works

"And, there's been a noticeable change in both clothing and demeanor?"

"Yes."

"And, well, otherwise all his spare time is spent lounging about with imbeciles."

"It's bad, isn't it." I asked more worried than before

"It's devastating. He's turned into a sixteen-year-old boy. Course, you'll have to kill him." He says and I look at him annoyed he thinks I'm joking!

"Giles, I'm serious."

"So am I. Except for the part about killing him. Testosterone is a great equalizer. It turns all men into morons. He will, however, get over it." I can't belive what I'm hearing

"I cannot believe that you, of all people, are trying to Scully me. There is something supernatural at work here." I answer him upset grabbing one of his books "Get your books! Look stuff up!" he takes his book back looking annoyed

"Look under what?"

"I don't know." I sigh "That's your department"

"The evidence that you've presented me with is sketchy at best."

"He scared the pig." Giles gives me a look "Well, he did..."

"Buffy, boys can be cruel. They tease, they, they, they prey on the weak. I-i-it's natural teen behavior pattern." wait what...

"What did you just say?"

"Um, they tease."

"They prey on the weak. I've heard that somewhere bef..." the hyena eclosure and the keeper that's were Ive hured this before "Xander has been acting totally wiggy ever since we went to the zoo. Him and Kyle and all those guys, they went into the hyena cage. Oh, God, that laugh..." all their laughs sound like a hyena how did I not see this sooner?!

"You're saying that, uh, Xander's becoming a hyena."

"I don't know. Or been possessed by one? Not just Xander, all of them."

"Well, I-I-I've cer-certainly never heard of, uh..." he stops as the library door flies open and Lela and willow run in

"Herbert! They found him." willow says out of breath

"The pig?" I asked confused

"Dead."

"And also eaten. Principal Flutie's freaking out." Lela finishes and I look at Giles

"Testosterone, huh?" Giles heads towards his office.

"What're you gonna do?" willow asks

"Get my books. Look stuff up." Giles says quoting me and I hold back an I told you so smirk

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"Wow!" I say looking up from my book looking at Lela and willow at their table researching "Apparently Noah rejected the hyenas from the Ark because he thought they were an evil impure mixture of dogs and cats."

"Hyenas aren't well liked." willow says

"They do seem to be the schmoes of the animal kingdom." I say as I walk over to willow I look at Lela and notice a smirk on her face "what's so funny?" She looks at me and laughs some

"You call that a fact? I have one that would make you say oh" her smirk grows bigger and I shake my head

"Do we really want to know this? Is it something gross?" I ask and she looks like she's thinking for a moment

"Well if you call both genders having a dick gross then yes" her smirk grows wider that little sneak slipped it in there

"Oh" Willow says suprized to say the least and I just pop Lela on the shoulder as she starts laughing loudly

"What at least it suits Xander" I pop her again and she continues to laugh louder I look over at willow who now has a blush on her face

"Why couldn't Xander be possessed by a puppy or, or some ducks?" She said trying to change the subject but I know Lela would probably find a fact that would ruin puppies for us both so I try to get her back on track

"That's assuming 'possession' is the right word." I state

"Oh, I'll say it is. The Masai of the Serengeti have spoken of animal possession for, for generations. I... I should have remembered that." Giles says as he walks over from the cage

"So how does it work?"

"Well, apparently there's a, a sect of animal worshipers known as Primals. They believe that humanity, uh, consciousness, uh, the soul, is a, is a perversion, a dilution of spirit. Uh, to them the animal state is holy. They are able, through trans-possession, to, to, um, draw the spirit of certain animals into themselves."

"And then they started acting like hyenas."

"Well, only the most predatory of animals are, are of interest to the Primals, so, uh, yes, yes, that would fit, yes."

"So, what happens to the person once the spirit's in them?"

"If it goes unchecked..." He hands Me the book he was holding I take one look at the page he had opened and I slam the book shut I can not let this happen

"I gotta find Xander." I say leaving

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LELAS POV

Willow picks up the book that Buffy slammed down and opens it to the bookmark. I look over her shoulder and There's a drawing of people with limbs bitten off, heads missing and other massive injuries.

"This isn't good" I say outloud

"No no it really isn't" Giles says cleaning his glasses and taking the book back

"What do we do Giles" I asked worry showing in my voice

"Well Buffy is going to get Xander an-" he stops as the phone rings he sighs and places the book down going to the phone I look over at Willow and rub her back

"Everything will be ok" she gives me a small smile I can here Giles hang up the phone I wasn't really paying attention to the convorsation so I don't really know what's going on I watch him as he walks over quickly

"I have to go to a meeting" he says quickly

"Why what's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later right now I need you to find the others and bring them here lock them up or knock them out if you have to" he says rushing out and I just nod then look at Willow

"Are you going to be ok?" She nods some

"Yea you go I'll just watch some videos" she answers trying to put on a smile but I can tell she's still upset

"We will get our Xander back I promise" I give her a quick hug and leave searching for their scents Buffy and Xander's are around the same area so I guess she found him I walk around a bit and finally catch the others scents mixed with blood...god I hope that's just the pigs blood I follow it closely they...left the school..shit I follow the trail a little faster worried about what they might do

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BUFFYS POV

I drag Xander to The library not really giving a shit if I bump his head once or twice while doing so I push the door open and here the sounds of hyenas but just as soon as I hear them they stop I look up and see Willow at the pc I guess she was watching about them to learn a little more. She starts to come over

"Hurry up. We gotta get him locked up somehow before he comes to." I tell her a little panicky

"Oh, my God, Xander! What happened?" She asks scared

"I hit him."

"With what?"

"A desk." Willow dosent seem to happy about that but

opens the cage door anyway and I drag him in. "He tried his hand at felony sexual assault." I say filling her In

"Oh, Buffy, the hyena in him didn't..."

"No." We arrange him on the floor of the cage "No, but it's safe to say that in his animal state his idea of wooing doesn't involve a Yanni CD and a bottle of Chianti." We walk out of the cage and close the door locking it "There, that oughtta hold him. Where's Giles And Lela?"

"He got called to some teacher's meeting. And Lela went to try and find everyone else's scent trails" she looks back to Xander "What are we gonna do? I mean... how do we get Xander back?" She finishes asking as Giles comes into the library.

"Right now I'm a little more worried about what the rest of the pack are up to. let's just hope Lela can find there scents and willow don't tell her what happened between Xander and I she will probllly try to kill him if she finds out" she nods

"I kinda figured that out myself" she says with a grimace

"The rest of the pack were spotted outside Herbert the mascot's cage. They were sent to the principal's office." Giles states

"Good! That'll show 'em." Giles stays silent "Did it show 'em?" Giles exhales but remains silent

"They didn't hurt him, did they?" I ask

"They, uh... ate him." Giles answers Willow has to sit down as she hears this And I can't believe what I'm hearing I can't believe that they ate him but from the drawing in the book i have to believe it but I can't keep myself from asking

"They ate Principal Flutie?"

"Ate him up?" Willow asks as well

"The, uh, official theory is that wild dogs got into his office somehow. There was no one at the scene." Giles answers

"But Xander didn't." Willow starts then looks at me hopeful "He, he was with you."

"Oh! Uh, well, that's a small mercy." Giles says as he sees Xander in the cage

"Giles, how do we stop this? How do you trans-possess someone?" I ask him

"I-I'm afraid I still don't have all the pieces. Um, the accounts of the Primals and their methods are a bit thin on the ground. There is some talk of a-a-a predatory act, but the exact ritual is, is, um..." He picks up a book "The Malleus Maleficarum deals in particulars of demonic possession, which... may apply..." He looks through a few pages "Yes, one, one should be able to transfer the spirits to another human."

"Oh, that's great. Any volunteers?"

"Oh. Good point."

"What we need to do is put the hyena back in the hyena."

"B-but until we know more, uh..."

"Betcha that zookeeper could tell us. Maybe he didn't quarantine those hyenas because they were sick."

"We should talk to him."

"Okay." I start to go but stop "Oh, wait, somebody's gotta watch Xander." Willow gets up

"I will." She says

"Will, are you sure? If he wakes up..." She holds her hand out for the keys

"I'll be alright. Go." After a moment's hesitation I give up the keys to Willow and grab my coat.

"C'mon." I say to Giles it's time to see that zookeeper

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WILLOWS POV

I can't help but sigh watching about hyenas I should stop watching this but I can't...

"Willow." I stop the video at the sound of Xander's voice and turn around looking at him

"How are you feeling?" I ask worried

"Like somebody hit me with a desk." He answers annoyed as he looks around "What am I doin' here?" I get up and walk toward the cage

"You're... resting?" I say slowly

"You guys got me locked up now." He stands up

"'Cause you're sick. Buffy said..."

"Oh, yeah. Buffy and her all-purpose solution punch 'em out 'n' knock 'em down. I'd love to see what she'd do to somebody who was 'really' sick." He says cutting me off

"That's not fair. Buffy and Lela saved both of our lives."

"Before they came here our lives didn't need that much saving, did they? Weren't things a lot simpler when it was just you and me?" I move closer

"Maybe..."

"When we were alone together... Willow, I know there's something wrong with me. I think it's gettin' worse. But I can't just stand around waitin' for Buffy to decide it's time to punch me out again." He exhales "Look, I want you to help me. I want you." I hold in a sigh he's trying to manipulate me...or...maybe...

"I am helping you." He sighs

"You're doing what you're told."

"Buffy's trying to help you, too. You know that. Or Xander does. And we both are helping you by keeping you in here and away from Lela if she finds out what you did to Buffy your kind of screwed though she can just get through this easily" I say gesturing to the cage door

"Yeah... Buffy's so selfless. Always thinking of us. And Lela. Lelas just a time bomb she's the dangerous one and if they really think I'm so dangerous, how come they left you alone with me?"

"She's not a time bomb she has a temper ya but she's one of the sweetest people I know" I take a breath trying to seem brave "I told Lela to go look for everyone and I told Buffy I would be fine"

"Why?"

"Cause I know you better than they do... and I wanted to be here to see if... you were still you."

"You know I am. Look at me." He pauses "Looook." I move even closer it's time to find out...

"Xander..." I whisper as He quickly try's to grab for the keys through the slot in the cage but I back up just in time ready for this

"Now I know." I say a bit upset Xander starts banging on the cage hard after this

"LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!" He starts yelling I just turn around and sit back down turning the video back on

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BUFFYS POV

I sigh as we just finish explaining everything to the zookeeper I have to admit I'm scared about what he will say to what we just told him

"The students have been possessed by the hyenas?" He asks

"Yes." Giles answers simply

"Are you sure?" He asks shockingly calm

"We're really, really sure." I answer still a little surprised that he is calm

"Y-you don't seem enormously surprised by this." Giles says surprised himself

"The zoo imported those hyenas from Africa. There was something strange about them from day one. I did some homework... That particular breed is very rare. Totally vicious. Historically they were worshipped by these guys..." The zookeeper says

"Primals."

"Yeah! Creepy guys! Now, they had rituals for taking the hyena spirits, but I-I don't see how that coulda happened to your kids."

"Uh, we don't know exactly how the ritual works. We know that it involves a, um, um... predatory act and some kind of symbol."

"Predatory act? Of course. That makes sense. Where did you read that?" The zookeeper says they both are getting really into this a little to into this we are on a time limit here

"Do you have Sherman Jeffries' work on, on cults and on..."

"Boys?" I say interrupting them

"Sorry." Giles says a little embarrassed

"Look." The zookeeper says "I think we may have enough information so that together we could pull off a reverse trans-possession."

"What do we do?" I ask hopeful

"We've gotta get those possessed students over to the hyena cage right away! I'll meet you there. We can begin the rituals."

"W-well, we can guarantee one of them, but there are four more, and we have no idea where they are but my sister is tracking them as we speak so it's only a matter of time" I wince at my choise of words because time really isn't something we have much of

"No, I wouldn't worry about that. After hyenas feed and rest they will track the missing member of their pack until they find him. They should come right to you." Right...to...us...my eyes widen at the realization

"Willow!"

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LELAS POV

I try to quicken my pace as I speed walk following the scents but quickly stop as I notice that I started back tracking why are they heading back where are they...Wait...there scent it's heading back to the...I can feel my heart sink into my stomach as I can't stop myself from screaming willows name in horror

"WILLOW!" I shouldn't of left her alone! I need to get back but There's no way I can make it back there before something happens! I look around and bite my lip there's no other way. I look around once more and gather up my courage shifting. I shake my fur fast and start running as fast as I can. I get back in about a quarter of the time and immediately spot the people I was hunting for climbing inside through the window laughing as willow screams As quickly as I can I jump on ones back forcing them down with my weight as soon as we hit the ground they turn around and fight back dazing me with a hard punch to my face they have obviously gotten stronger this isn't good. By the time I get my vision back they all have crawled through the window fuck my size I can't get through there like this. I growl loudly as I run to the closest door that I could find which was fucking on the other side of the school! I quicken my pace sliding into walls as I run around the hallway corners I can hear people running I run as fast as I can towards it and past Buffy and Giles I would of stopped for a second but i could see willow running towards me with Heidi hot on her tail just as I pass willow I pounce on her grabbing her head in my paw and slamming it down onto the floor knocking her out cold. I turn around and watch as Willow runs to Giles side. My ear twitches as I catch the sound of someone rushing me I shoot my arm out and back hand whoever it was hard enough to send them flying as I look behind me I watch as Xander flies down the hall hitting the wall i try not to feel to bad about it I can't afford to right now

"Run!" Giles yells as three other pack members run to Xander's side then start charging for us. I start running I can't handle three of them at once and neither can Buffy. Willow Giles Buffy and I make a b line to the closest open room and run inside. Giles slams the door shut locking it just in time as the pack starts slamming their fists into it the second it was locked. I stayed in a fighting stance as they continued to bang on the door for 5 minutes then I assume leave but they could just be faking it

"I think they're going." Buffy says

"They could be faking it." Willow counters taking the words right out of my mouth

"No, they're hungry. They'll be looking for somebody weak. I'm really sorry, Will. I didn't know they were gonna come after Xander." I nod at this looking down feeling guilty

"It's okay." She says but that doesn't help the guilt go away

"We must lead them back to the zoo if we're going to stop this." Giles says

"And before their next meal. Guess that's my job." Buffy states and I just give her a disapproving look changing back*

"Well, individually they're almost as strong as you two As a group they're..." Giles starts

"They're tough, but I think they're getting stupider. You guys go to the zoo and I will bring them to you." Buffy says but I cut in

" no I should go I'm faster than you are and I can track them down faster"

"Lela you can't go running around as a werewolf there looking for food for people and people will see you I will be fine I need you to make sure they get there safely" I sigh she has a point they will be going somewhere populated and a massive werewolf will make things worse

"Alright" I say reluctantly "but stay safe" she nods and runs out of the building "Giles willow stay close" I say as we start heading to the zoo

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We finally arrive at the Hyena House. We all slow down panting some from all the running

"The pathway to the Hyena House. Where's the zookeeper?" Willow asks

"Uh, he must be inside. I-I'll go in and prepare things. You just warn, uh, us when you hear Buffy and the others approaching Lela make sure they all get in and that Buffy is alright"

"Got it" I answer as He runs into the hyena house Willow turns around to watch and wait and I do the same tapping my foot. A few minutes pass and I can here a few people running this way it must be Buffy with Xander and the pack not to far behind "Willow there coming tell Giles!" She Doesn't bother to answer me as she runs to the hyena house. Not shortly after Buffy comes running towards me.

"There right behind me!" She yells running past me and into the hyena house I wait for a few seconds and once I see the pack in my sights I run into the hyena house as well only to be greeted to the sight of my sister frozen in place I look to where she's starring and I feel anger and fear boil inside of me in front of me is the zookeeper holding willow with a knife to her throat I feel a load growl bubble up into my throat but before I'm able to charge him I'm tackled from behind and fall to the floor once I hit it I'm piled onto by the pack they are so much stronger than me that I can't get up. Suddenly the zookeeper hits the ground with a staff and yells

"YU BA YA SA NA!" The pack must of looked up at him when he yelled that because they are not putting as much strength into keeping me down all of a sudden the zookeepers eyes flash green He then turns to Willow and growls He drops the knife and grabs her head. Before I can scream I hear Xander yelling

"Willow!" He gets up and charges the zookeeper knocking him down and away from Willow. I easily get up tossing the assholes off of me and run to willow grabbing her and getting her away from the zookeeper. Buffy who was apparently piled onto by the rest of the idiots snaps out of it knocks them off and runs over punching the zookeeper all the while Kyle and his gang begin to crawl away on their butts. The zookeeper charges Buffy but she knocks him back down He try's to charge her again and she tosses him over onto his back. He gets up and tries again and at this point I've had enough of him and charge into the fight getting under him and tossing him into the hyena pit. He tries to climb out but is dragged back down by the hyenas. Buffy and I share a look and run to the pit to see if we can save the zookeeper he's already being ripped apart though. We both turn around and walk to willow as Xander is untying her I take a quick glance around the room and Kyle and his group have already ran off all talk but no guts...out of no where Giles comes out of the back room.

"Uh, did I miss anything?" He asks I'm guessing he was knocked out but I stay quiet about it and check on Willow with Buffy and Xander

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Buffy, Willow Xander and I walk across the school quad

"I heard the vice-principal's taking over 'til they can find a replacement." Willow says

"It shouldn't be too hard to find a new principal. Unless they ask what happened to the last one." Buffy chuckles some

"Okay, but I had nothing to do with that, right?" Xander asks as we all start to climb the stairs.

"Oh, right."

"You only ate the pig." Willow says

"I ate a pig? Was it cooked and called bacon or..." We all shake our heads and Xander covers his face "Oh, my God! I ate a pig? I mean, the whole trichinosis issue aside, yuk!"

"Well, it wasn't really you." I speak up "and I doubt there was enough pig there for you all to get a lot of it in your system if that helps any"

"Well, I remember I was goin' on the field trip, and then goin' down to the Hyena House, and next thing some guy's holding Willow and he's got a knife. And it actually helps slightly"

"You saved my life." Willow says

"Hey! Nobody messes with my Willow." He gives her a hug and Buffy and Willow smiles

"This is definitely the superior Xander. Accept no substitutes." Buffy says chipper

"I didn't do anything else, did I, around you guys or anything embarrassing?" I decide not to really tell him anything and it seems Buffy and willow have the same idea

"Well you did rip up the photo of us that Lela gave you" Buffy says but leaves it at that oh shit I forgot to give willow her copy

"I did? Lela I'm sorry but can I have another please? I'll give you chocolate"

"I would of said yes in the first place but since you said you would give me chocolate you now owe me some" he laughs some

"I should of bribed you after I asked" we all just laugh at this

"Hey will" I ask and she just looks at me as I rummage through my bag pulling out the photo "I gave buffy hers at home but almost forgot to give you yours" she smiles and takes it gently

"Thanks Lela I love it" she says giving me the brightest smile I've seen on her and I just smile back

"I'm glad you do"

"C'mon. We're gonna be late." Buffy pipes in saying to us after that willow and buffy both head to their class with willow saying she will see us at lunch as she leaves

"Cool! Oh, hey, goin' vegetarian! Huh?" Xander says as He gives them two thumbs-up. Willow and Buffy just turn and smile then continue on their way

"Sorry Xander but I must make my exit to the hellish landscape called a class room" I elbow his arm and smile "I'll see you at lunch" he just smiles back and we both head our separate ways I look back and see him and Giles talking they must be whispering because I can't here them I just shrug and keep walking I wonder what they are talking about.


End file.
